Part of the difficulty for me in the past few months has been the juggling of job and family issues. My job has been fairly demanding. However, family issues have taken about every ounce of spare energy and time that I have. In September, my wife and I took Derek, our 15 year old grandson to Washington, D. C. I have shared a little about Derek with his picture [[link] here in April of 2005. He is now wheel chair bound with a mic-key button [[link] [[link] for feeding. He has also had ankles straightened and fused with hard plastic braces, and a port for globulin injections for his immune system, because his vein started to get too weak and scarred from monthly injections.It was a challenge but well worth it.

Fast forward to my mother having to have a procedure on her back at nearly 95 years old. Then during some rehab for strength she was no longer able to continue. We took several weekends to go and see her. On November 8th she turned 95. We had a party for her but she was asleep most of the time with pain medicine. She has had her good days and bad days.

Early Sunday morning we got the call from my sister that my mother had passed away in her sleep earlier that morning. This is another week of being here sketchily, and then a week of holiday madness while trying to make up for time off. Then Christmas madness. Forgive me, but i will only be available sparingly over the next month.