My dad is on his way to the hospital now to do all the preliminary stuff one has to do before they do heart surgery. The Butcher is calling the Red-headed Kid to see if he can come over and check on the cats. I talked to the recalcitrant brother and he’s not coming, though, he clearly feels fucked up about it. What can you do, though? I’ve got money to get me and the Butcher to Illinois. I don’t have money to get him up there, too, and he doesn’t have it and so that’s that.
Yet another reason it sucks to be poor.
Then I’m going to go back up there after he gets out of the hospital and stay with him for a week, so my mom can keep working and someone can be there with him.
Okay, well, that’s all I know.
Tiny Cat Pants 
Lots of luck and well wishes to all of you.
Aunt B., I am totally with you on this. My dad had a pacemaker implanted yesterday, and I couldn’t be there to help my parents out. Although my mom has this funny attitude about accepting help from me and my siblings, as if there’s only so much help available and she doesn’t want to use it up, in case she needs it later. So there’s a little part of me that’s glad I’m not there, because it would wig my mom out and I’d have to talk her into letting me do things like cook dinner.
Don’t I know it! I’m bringing duck tape up the week I go up while he’s recovering, because I’m sure that keeping him sitting still and resting is going to be a major challenge.
Sending lots of good thoughts to you & the Butcher, Aunt B. I know you don’t know me from Adam (do you know Adam? Greenfield?), but I know about the dad/heart thing. Can be quite scarifying.
My dad had a heart attack last year, which occurred while they were on a trip to the mountains, and he didn’t know that’s what was happening, he just felt kind of sick and refused to let my mom take him to the hospital until 5 HOURS later. I flew home for his operation, and when I leaned over to hug him, lying there all tiny and gray in the hospital bed, I cried and said “I’m here to kick your ass, you old goat.” And I tried to keep him in line, but his first day home from the hospital, I was making lunch and suddenly realized that he was out in the yard, taking care of his farking bees when he was supposed to be resting.
More information than you really need, I’m sure.
All the best to you and your family.
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