A Mom Update

[akirlu]

It's simpler to do this as a post -- I can't promise I'll be able to keep everyone updated individually.

Since it would in many ways have been preferable if Mom wound up at Stanford, naturally she's in San Francisco. Dad says she sounds chipper and reports that she is sure she will be able to go home on Monday. This might be significant, if it were a different poison. Or a different mother. Which is to say that, because Amanita phalloides poisoning has a middle "honeymoon" period, it's hard to know whether she's feeling well because she is, or because the second wave of the toxin hasn't kicked into noticeable effect yet. Also, Mom has been increasingly living in a Write Your Own Adventure story over the past decade or two, one where facts and probabilities have little sway over her expectations. But, at least she *feels* fine, for the moment. So that's good. We live in hope.

I will fly down to SFO tomorrow afternoon, and in the meantime I will do laundry and eat some pizza and try to pack. Thanks to all for many kind invitations to stay and provide rides and so forth. At least initially I'll impose on the kindness of athenais and Jon, since I think their place makes for the most plausible commute to San Francisco. (Turns out Mom is at the California Pacific Medical Center, on Buchanan St. -- which seems like None of the Above, but perhaps it is allied with UCSF.) I may spread myself around a bit later, so that nobody gets too sick of me, depending on how long I end up in the Bay Area, but my initial flight booking is for a return home next Saturday. We'll see how it goes.

My brother and his wife are flying out tomorrow, too. They've got friends of their own to stay with, I believe. Dad may well have to wait until Tuesday to come down from Mariposa -- he only just got out of the hospital himself this past Monday, after a House, MD-style scare with mysterious internal bleeding, and has to be cleared by his doctor and kennel the dogs before he can travel. But if things really do work out for an early discharge for Mom, my brother and I can receive her and get her home, so it will be good to be there. So that's all right. I ramble. I'm more tired than my activity levels merit, but I guess that's the cost of staying calm.

Anyway, that's the news from my corner of the world. I'll drop individual lines to a few individual folks and please everyone know that your kind thoughts and well wishes are gratefully received, even if I don't say so individually. You're all truly wonderful, and I thank you.

Comments

[farmgirl1146.livejournal.com]

Please give your mother my good wishes for her recovered health. I send wishes of strength for you and Hal. I am sorry this has happened to her. I looked the mushroom up and it is just a cute little white mushroom like I used to pick on the back forty. Dang. Nature at her bitchiest.

[chiefwirehead.livejournal.com]

Good choice. (locations and hosts) - close to 280, 101, and BART.

There may be someone who lives closer/more convenient to SF, but I can't think of anyone who does and might have enough room for a visitor.

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

Good luck to you and your family, Ulrika.

[voidampersand.livejournal.com]

My grandma used to live near there and was in that hospital. It's pretty easy to get there on the bus. From the Montgomery St. BART station, walk north to Sutter St. (about 1 block). Catch a 2, 3, or 4 bus westbound. Get off at Buchanan. Walk about 4 blocks north to the hospital. Around the hospital, Lafayette Park, 1 block east, has great views. West of the hospital, it's two blocks to Fillmore St., with many nice restaurants and good shopping in the strip south back towards the 2,3,4 bus lines. South, a block on the other side of the bus lines, is Japantown, with Japanese book stores, hardware stores, and other essentials, not to mention sushi. Other useful bus routes are the 38 Geary, which is a major trunk route on Geary St., just south of Japan Center, and the 22 Fillmore. The 38 Geary parallels the 2, 3, and 4 lines. It will get you back downtown. The 22 will take you to the 16th & Mission BART station. It's a longer way to go, but it runs through some interesting neighborhoods.

Good luck with everything.

[n6tqs.livejournal.com]

The 1 also runs that way, and the 22 makes most sense coming from the south, although some people might be uncomfortable at 16th and Mission late at night.
I go through there regularly, but....

Good luck to you and your mom, and I hope it's real recovery.

[samildanach.livejournal.com]

Best of luck to you and your mom. (For what it's worth, UCSF runs our clinical system, so I'm Doing My Part.)

[paulcarp.livejournal.com]

Im hoping for the best for you.

[dalmeny]

Good luck to all your family then.

[ceemage.livejournal.com]

I'm several thousand miles away from being able to offer anything resembling practical help, but I'm sure I speak for all your Brit friends in sending you all the positive thoughts in the world.

[lintninja.livejournal.com]

Good thoughts for you and your family. Hope thatyour flights are not fraught with spring break loonies and turbulance. Hang in ther e and take care of yourself too.

[marykaykare.livejournal.com]

You know I'll do whatever I can to help. Just call or email if there's anything at all. Good luck and hugs.

MKK

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

*Wishing both your folks full recoveries*