What a day. It snowed all day and the roads were really bad. From the time we woke up. I had to take Chelsea to the Vet at 8AM, which was not TOO bad but we had to drive very carefully and alert every moment.

Chelsea's kidneys are failing. We knew that but there is a definite indication of that in the blood tests. We are going to try to change her diet to a science diet that may help and give her a phosphate that may slow the damage down a bit. But it is progressive. Her teeth are bad, because of her heart, we cannot do any dental work because that involves putting her under anesthetic which could kill her as fast as the disease. So we try to make things easier for her. She is almost 16 and we know her time is limited. Poor baby.

We had soup for lunch and then I drove, carefully and very nerviously to Mother's to meet with her and Dolores with two of the home care companies to fill in the mornings when the Visiting Nurses won't be coming. We chose Companion Care because they said that they would be able to help Mom with her colostomy bag if it became necessary. They will get training from the VNA. Otherwise it would have been a very difficult decision. Anyway, Mom will have someone there in the mornings to help her through her breakfast and her bathing starting tomorrow. We are so relieved. I am so glad that Dolores was able to be there with me to help sort through the information we received. As they say four ears are better than two.

Of course, Mom had the final say. She is still able to make her own decisions but I know she is glad that we are there to advise her.

It was a rather unsettling trip home, but I just kept my speed down and followed about four cars that were feeling as uncomfortable as I was. The plows had been out so we were only facing rather slipper streets and just had to keep moving at a nice steady pace. Obviously I got home save and sound.

HOWEVER, the plows were out in Tallgrass and they left me with a insurmountable pile of snow that I managed to get stuck in. I was doing some shoveling when one of they guys who clear our snow was me and came and very gallantly helped me get the driveway cleared, my car unstuck and saw me into the garage. They are SO very nice. I told him that maybe I would be staying home until spring. Dick said he would like to keep me home til spring too. Fat chance of course. But unfortunately, we had to get Mother set up with her health care. There was no way we could leave her until next week to have someone in there every morning to see that she is safe. She is so weak. But that wonderful spirit is still there.

So. It is time for me to wind down again. Our Leslie has started a blog. So now I check almost every day to see if either she or Jim have posted. Even every so often is such a joy and they both do such fun blogs. Leslie worries that she will be boring but she isn't. I sometimes feel that way too but noone complains so I keep pouring my days out to everybody.

It is supposed to snow through tomorrow morning and I don't have anywhere to go until tomorrow night. I am supposed to go out to Rhine to work for the start if our Winter League. By then things should be clear. But to have a whole day that I can stay home, is just like heaven.

Hope your day is heaven too.

God love you

Mary