So I had to get gas yesterday, and I heard the most awesome Los Alamos Dad conversation. Thought I'd share it. Keep in mind, though, that this is a town with more than its share of scientists and academic overachievers, so yeah. Lots and lots of pocket protectors.

Dad One is telling Dad Two about how his kids went to the community college during high school and ended up graduating a year early, with almost a full year of college credit under their belts, and one got a good scholarship to Yale and one got a full scholarship to the University of New Mexico to study medicine, so his kid will be making "that Doctor money" two years sooner.

Dad One was pretty proud.

Dad Two, however, would not be beat. His kid did a full extra course load at the community college, graduating two years early, and getting two years worth done on the college front, as well. But the cherry on top? Full scholarship to UC Berkeley.

Dad Two has his chest puffed out and is looking pretty pleased with himself.

Dad One, suitably impressed, says, "Wow! What is she studying?"

Dad Two, starting to deflate slightly, mumbles, "Art History."

And then we all looked away and got in our cars and drove off. But yay for following your dreams, kid. Yay for following your dreams.

Okay, so we have been doing this chemo thing with my mom for about six months now, and I have to say that yesterday, at her last session, something happened that irritated me more than any of the other stuff.

I know, I know. It must've been pretty bad because I never get annoyed.

Ha ha ha just kidding. At any rate...

We were there and finally got seated and started after the blood tests and a chat with the nurse/doctor and all of that, and we were seated next to an older lady who was the only person in the chemo center who didn't have a friend with her. The nurse came over and asked if she was waiting for someone, and she said, "My son dropped me off and he'll pick me up downstairs when I'm done. He can't deal with all this hospital stuff."

As the chemo went on, it became apparent that this woman was having some issues with memory loss and confusion, as she kept asking the nurse when her chemo would start (she had the IV going and had been there a couple of hours at that point), and she would get very distressed and forget where she was.

Finally, at the very end of her treatment, a nurse found her son in the lobby downstairs and dragged his butt up there to go sit with his mom.

I wanted to grab him by the collar and scream at him. If your mom needs someone to sit with her, SIT WITH HER. If she is scared and confused, GO WITH HER. You "can't deal with this hospital stuff"????? I'm pretty sure your mom is loving being poked and prodded in a strange place with no one she knows and not a familiar face in sight.

SHE'S YOUR MOM. She gave birth to you. She made you sandwiches and cleaned up your messes and wiped your butt. I'm sure all of that wasn't peachy for her. Maybe if you have a bigger family, there would be the option for you to have someone else go in with her, or maybe you could find a friend or church member to go sit in there with her, but holy crap, guy. Don't abandon your mom. Figure something out so she's not sitting in there alone and scared.

Argh. And he wasn't even kind to her when he went in, he just sat there being sullen because they made him come upstairs.

I wanted to punch him.

I also needed a snack pretty badly at that point, so I went with that, and I think we're all happy with that outcome. 

But still. Moms need a chemo buddy, too. Geez.

Yep, I just went a whole week without writing a blog.

Because I forgot.

Because it's so hot.

Seriously, when did July in the mountains mean 90-100 degree temps with no rain in sight? Especially when we were told that there was an El Niño going on?

Therefore, I am calling shenanigans on this particular El Niño and moving myself to Alaska. 

Where it's probably still at least going to be in the upper 70s today.

Argh. No escape. I may melt, even with the a/c.