Update

 

Happily, there has been a tremendous off-loading of fluids for my SIL due to the intravenous Lasix.  She is feeling much better, is breathing far better, and her heart is getting to rest some by not having to push so much fluid.  

Currently, however, there is no prognosis, nor a plan of action.  So, while the crisis has been averted.... the future remains quite nebulous, which keeps everyone's anxieties high.  

Not much else to report at the moment other than a few bullets:

• I meant to mention it yesterday, but as you can tell.... "bullets" have returned to blogger.  I am happy about that.... but am not really sure if they did disappear, or if somehow I had potentially triggered some setting accidentally that kept me from knowing where they were.  But, regardless, they seem to be back.
• As you can imagine, my wife is a bundle of nerves at the moment because of my SIL's illness.  
• As you likely can also imagine, my own nerves are pretty shot.  I am worried about my SIL.  But, I am ALSO very worried about how to convince my wife to take her own health more seriously.
• Apparently my MIL's memory is growing significantly worse.  Yesterday, she called another of my wife's siblings and was complaining very loudly and vocally about wanting to have my wife "take her home" and out of "this place" (the assisted living apartment).  The sibling called my wife right away, and my wife called my MIL within ~5 minutes of the complaining conversation to explain to my MIL that she needed to be there right now for her health and safety....... but when my MIL answered the phone, she had absolutely no recollection of having had a conversation with my wife's sibling.  
• Ran 11 miles (~16km) this morning.  I feel a bit in a rut in terms of distance.... but it is the most I can get in from when the indoor running track opens to when I have to leave for the U.  I have just felt rather uncomfortable running in the pitch black of night that we have now at this time of the year.... even with the headlamp I bought.... it unnerves me.  Not because of "ghosts" or "attackers" or any of that stuff..... it unnerves me because I am so very worried I may trip and fall because while the headlamp is helpful.... it still feels treacherous.  And, it has been awfully damn cold at 5:00am too..... ~35 F ( ~2 C) a lot of mornings.  
• PCS = 6.  The thoughts I am having of smoking my pipes are a very WELCOME respite from a lot of the harsh things happening.  
• I am not really sure where I am currently regarding my pipe smoking.  Even though it is a bit intangible, it seems as if "something" has changed in ME.  It is hard to describe.  For the last 4.5+ years, I have been consistent about refraining.... even though I had numerous plans.... in a controlled/managed way.... where I might at least sample the beautiful nectar of pipe tobacco again in some fashion.  Thus far, none of the plans successfully panned out.  But, the last several days.... it seems like my interest/willingness to "plan" or "figure out" a careful way to potentially sample my pipes again has dwindled to zero.  Do  not get me wrong... I still WANT to smoke my pipes and pipe tobaccos.  But, I am rather fed up with trying to figure out a way to do so.   I am not sure what that means for the long term.  But, I can say I am fed up with trying.  I do not know if this means I am a step closer to just fully giving up on the beauty of the briar.... or if I am a step closer to just plunging fully back in, and not giving a damn.

PipeTobacco