D and MLC

[ciluzen]

Hey, all! I'm getting better. Concussions heal when they heal. I have had to limit computer time and I get drowsy pretty easily in the afternoon, still. But I'm on the mend.

Updates so far:

1) I have a new partner at work (another behaviorist). We'll see how this works out...not sure about her. She's a little coarse and pushy. I can deal with anything at this point, however.

2) I have two places to show my art as a featured artist for January and February and a possible gallery spot after that. Just need to remove a few paintings from H's office. Exposure!

3) All of my master's program application materials have been submitted and I am officially halfway through my last pre-requisite class now. Crossing my fingers that I get called for an interview in January.

4) H was pretty good about calling or texting to keep me informed during his mother's ordeal, whether due to my D telling him to or not. He flew home the evening after MIL was found and went to work the next day. They live in an area of farmland and orchards and some field workers (looking for her while working) found her asleep in a pile of leaves; could only see her legs. They were able to get the search and rescue helicopter to land nearby and she walked to the 'copter! She was angry that people were on "her" property, though (she was 5 miles away). She was horribly dehydrated, but after getting rehydrated and getting electrolytes to certain levels, she was allowed to go home. Pretty much a miracle. She woke up the next morning in her own house and had coffee with her sons and husband as if it was an ordinary day (when boys were in high school). She has no idea she was even gone.

H called last Saturday to talk about our youngest D briefly, but ended up talking about his experience with the MIL search, FIL, and stuff for an hour.

He then texted this Friday to locate a snowboard someone wanted to borrow and asked me to "search my apartment" (I don't snowboard, its my D24's, and my apartment isnt that big). He also reminded me that he was heading back down to inlaws for a previously scheduled family meeting about the FIL/MIL situation and legal issues surrounding this. He wanted to know if I needed him to bring anything to or from my mom, who lives 15 minutes from his parents. We texted back and forth and he eventually called me to talk. Again, I just let him talk while I listened...light and easy, joking around like old times. At one point, though, in speaking about his father, he built up to where he just was screaming; anger coming out in full force, mask off completely. I just let him go until it tapered off. He recovered almost completely. Almost. Our convo ended not too much later than that, but his voice was still a bit quavery, like he was near tears.

I spoke with D26 today and mentioned this. She mentioned that he's been very nostalgic lately (wanting to relive ski trips and such) and spending time trying to find a place to hang like "Cheers", where he can show up and people would greet him by name. He's been visting sports bars and has found one he likes up by the vacation home. He refers to it as his house, now...not "the river house" as before. This makes sense as I am no longer part of it and he only has the apartment in town. She also says he seems happy, doing what I'm doing...getting to know what he likes and what he is interested in. This is in contrast to what one of the office ladies told me; that he was very depressed and lonely in the evenings. D26 also says he spends more time with a family I used to enjoy hanging with and less with Bubbbles and her family. Funny; they were the only family from the old social group to text me a Thanksgiving greeting this year.

Anyway, he is on his journey and I continue on mine. So much fun studying psychology while going through this! I do know he will make an appearance on Christmas at D26's house for dinner. I'll look good and behave nicely (why wouldn't I?) I'm fairly happy with things right now. I believe in January I will be trying to get pre-approved for a loan and start house hunting. Wish me luck on both of those. It will be small and old...project time! I think I need to contact Doodler from the "surviving the big D" board. That's his forte.