This Post is *All* About Me, Me, Me! Don't say you weren't properly warned.

Okay, so Dad got sick, tried treatment (which failed) and came home to die. I went to a few doctor's appointments, lent emotional support and offered professional judgments, usually couched in the aforementioned emotional support. I presented myself to the family as a primary caretaker, confessor and facilitator. I have now come as close as I hope I ever will to having a nervous breakdown. (I couldn't resist coming back here a couple of days later to post this link for the term, "nervous breakdown!")

Now, it's time for me to claim what is rightfully mine! It's my turn in the limelight, my time at bat, time for me to get my props! Sorry, Tam (milk chocolate) and Kelly (cafe au lait, of course)...for appropriating your terminology and for stealing your spotlight for one post! I am, after all, about as lily white as it gets and understand that it's not really all about me. I'm just pretending for the day. It's my day to be chi chi frou frou...I don't ask for it often!
; )

I saw my therapist and family doctor yesterday and am taking some more time off from work, this time fully paid, in order to recuperate following Dad's death. Since I'm not rushing back to work, I've decided to hang out at Mom's for a few more days...she would appreciate the company and I could use to not have to think about anything for a while. The proverbial feces hit the fan yesterday. I've gotten everyone important in my life to as healthy and accepting a psychological place as is possible for now and am now focusing all my energies on facilitating my acceptance of Dad's death. MY TURN! Or me, Me, ME, ME, ME! ROFL!

So, I'll spend the next few days sleeping as much as I can/want/choose, playing around on the computer, doing a very tiny bit of assisance with the business end of Dad's death and paying attention to myself and what I need! Today, I've spent all day on the laptop. Here are some of the interesting things I've come across:

Online Etymology Dictionary...what a great site if you like words and their origins.
NursePam's take on fat in America.
Jenn's, via NursePam's site rant on fat in North American culture.
The free, full text of this article in The New England Journal of Medicine on the ethics of health care professionals participating in executions.
The interview with a prison doctor in Georgia who does care for patients up to and during execution.

I've also deleted pictures from my camera; transferred some photos, including my new profile photo, to my laptop; eaten fruit from the fruit baskets we've received, including the one that came today from a nearby Incredibly Edible Delites (another good reason to hang around a few more days...there's hardly a speck of food in my apartment); answered a few e-mails and made sure my boss knows I'm not getting back to work until late next week, at the earliest. I sure hope I don't screw up my chances for the EDIS RN potision with my recent absence but my philosophy is fast becoming, "Screw it" with regards to my job, nursing and my place of employment! By the way, I challenge you to pick out which is me and which young man is my son from this, my new profile photo ; )

I've also done a little (just enought to get by) laundry and given myself a manicure. Not a bad job for a non-pro, I think. Please bear in mind that I am an ER nurse, not a hand model!

(Next Day Addendum: My friend, Tam, stopped by last evening and I showed her this blog entry. I wish I could introduce you all to Tam...she's wonderful and has been my bestest friend for a couple of decades. Tam thought this picture was tooooooo creepy, looking like the hand of a corpse lying on a black cloth. In truth, it's my living, though winter-roughened hand lying on my mulberry throw. With respect to Tam, I am posting a new hand photo on today's blog entry. Sorry if I gave anyone E. A. Poe flashbacks!)

Feels great! I've spent the whole day in some comfort clothes (today, that means: old, navy sweatpants with white paint stains; a powder blue Life Is Good "Dream" long-sleeved tee; a comfy velour (I know...I can't believe I just admitted I own a velour shirt, even an old one!) shirt over the tee and my bright red Keds slipper socks. I've been wrapped in my mulberry-colored chenille throw all afternoon. No, I never did make it to that nap, as I've been diligently trying to hone my nascent HTML skills, but that's okay. There's time for a nap early this evening and, hopefully, another good night's sleep overnight.

So, if anyone has the script for wrapping text around pictures on Blogger or where I can find that in Blogger's help files, please, send it my way!

Okay...going to lay down and rest, at least, until my friend, Tam, shows up for a short visit after work. Who knows, she may have to come wake me up. With any luck, that will be quite difficult!

I leave you with a favorite photo of Dad from his earlier years...

My father's family...sister, Dot; Dad; sister Grace; their mother, Minnie.