Life lands on you, even when you are a moving target.

     Almost as soon as we got to Arizona bad things started happening.  Bryan is fine now, but he got sick and was hospitalized in Scottsdale, OVER Thanksgiving!  We had a memorable  2am drive to a hospital in a town we didn't know.  It was very fortunate that we weren't out in the desert when he became ill.   No delicious home cooked meal with his kids that day!  

     He was home about a week when more bad news came.  My  mom fell, at her memory care residence in Reno. Her hip was broken and she had surgery the next day.  Bryan still recovering drove me to the airport. 

       Initially mom looked so good.  She was in a wheelchair two days after surgery.  She was feeding herself and doing OK.  Slowly though she started declining.  I needed to call the paramedics one day to take her back to the hospital.  But she was in good enough form to tell the young guys how good looking they were! After the hospital she was situated in a skilled nursing facility.   

     I got back to Arizona and a few days later was diagnosed with pneumonia.  We were a pathetic pair for the next while.  Just after Christmas day the news came that mom was worse.  So we both went back to Nevada.

     Mom did look bad.  She wasn't talking much and was sleeping a lot.   But then she started to improve a little  every day.  So it was a shock when she suddenly passed away in her sleep early in the morning of Jan 4th.  Ruthie and Doug couldn't get over Donner pass that day as there was a big snow storm.   But they made it the next day. 

     Steve had come from Mexico so all of the Mathis kids were together.  With our spouses, kids, grandkids and great grandkids we all made it through a difficult time.  Most of us know what this is like.  

     So, the blog will return- it may just take time for the new normal to arrive. Love to all and appreciate every moment with loved ones!

Mary, Ruthie, Steve and Annie