Quiet

My aunt was here for 1-2 weeks. Anant, Nana and I went to Atlantic City to the Tropicana for a night. Nana/Mom enjoys just looking at the ocean. She doesn't like the grit of the sand or the salt water or heat of the beach but prefers just to look and hear the sights and sounds of the ocean. Anant and I went down for an hour or so. He had a fever then and wasn't feeling well. Aunt Tam was a great help taking care of everything for Mom. Doing laundry and anything we needed.
Aunt Deborah came after that for about a month. Again, a wonderful help. Each family member adds their specialties to our lives. Aunt Deborah helped us get organized and more settled. We got lamp shades for our living room (hadn't had them in years sad to say Rob and I are not great decorators). Pretty recycling bins, getting toys out of Nana's space, decorating Anant's playroom. Painting with Anant. Hanging Anant's pics. Also tacking up the world map and placing a picture of she, Anant and Caxton her cat in WA area and then Rob, Anant and I in PA. We joked that this meant that Aunt Deborah would be taking Anant back with her for a few weeks (of course not around Anant who would gladly take her up on the offer). We prepared Anant for Aunt Deborah's departure talking about where she lived and that we would see each other again soon. Today Anant was feeling the loss of Aunt Deborah and Nana as Nana went with her brother and sister to DE to tie up some things with the house (which may be sold soon we hope). Anant said "I want Aunt Deborah" then fell asleep after a day at our local park with friends.
Mom/Nana had some really good time right after going into hospice care. Without pain. It was amazing to me who had seen her writhing in pain needing ice packs and break through pain meds around the clock which didn't seem to work anyhow. Since then Nana has been having more pain, still not to the extent that she had before hospice. It is so hard not knowing the timing. I think part of me thinks that she will be with us for a while. But then every small change in her alarms me "is it the cancer" I think to myself?
In many ways Mom is better now than before my aunt and sister came. She is not in near as much pain. Allowing her to eat and do more. She also has the 2 hours of hospice nursing assistant care 5 days/week each morning which is a huge help as well. All this together has made a transition that is not so stressful as it was when Mom first came to live with us. I am so blessed to be able to spend so much time with her. I feel bad for others who love her who visit and don't know if it will be the last time they will see her or not. This is so hard.
The house is so quiet without relatives, Mom and with Anant asleep. Just Rob, Derby and I chilling by the computer and TV.

Our New Blog

Our family has changed a great deal. Anant has been adopted. Nana now lives with us. I thought it appropriate to now do a family blog. Especially since I want to record things about Anant's Nana, my Mom, is very ill and now on hospice.
More to come.