Trying to Start 2018 Better

It has been a while since my last post.  But, in many ways things are pretty much the same as they have been since about the end of October.... rough.  But, as with many things, one can grow used to hardship and uncertainty.  I am of a mindset where I am trying to again "pull myself up by my bootstraps" and carry on and try to do good things for folks and to try to be content. 

My elderly father-in-law is not improving.  He is now in a nursing home where he is able to receive physical therapy.  However, it appears that he has given up and does not want to try to recover.  Physically he does not have any fatal illnesses.... most notably no critical heart issues nor cancer.  He has the potential to work to gain back his strength, but he does not appear to want to do so.  He has grown weak from his hospital stay and has not been eating much (because he does not like the food), which makes him continue to grow weaker.  I believe he is depressed.  I believe he just does not want to try.  It is very sad.  I unfortunately believe now that he will not work to try and return to strength and that he will pass away in the next month or two.  It both saddens me and frustrates me greatly.  I wish he would try, because if he would try, he would have ~90% chance to be back to his former self.  He is also refusing medication that could help quell his apparent depression and my mother-in-law is not pushing for him (as I believe she should) to take this medication.  I have not been able to figure out any way to help.  My wife is feeling the pain of this greatly and it is extremely difficult for her and she is often emotionally on edge.  I too feel very sad about how things have gone in this regard and I keep trying to figure out a way to "fix" this, but there is really no where for me to help that I can see. 

I am still running my 28 miles a week.  During the time off between the semesters at the U, it is a little bit more of a struggle to fit in the run, but I have been managing.  Many places where I have been able to run indoors are closed during this time of year, so I have had to be more creative to figure it out.  I am determined to keep being consistent however, even when I do not want to.  So, I keep figuring out some way to get the exercise in. 

I think this will be my post for now.  I will begin to outline some of my ideas for my future and my efforts to pull myself back out of the abyss. 

PipeTobacco