Cathartic? I'll let you know....

I have wanted to write down everything that has been going on in my life since January. I heard that it was cathartic to put words to paper (or in this case, keyboard to blog). But every time I sat down at my computer, the phone rang with another crisis or drama to handle. After each problem was resolved, I thought... "I have got to write this down. There is no WAY that people will believe this just happened!" But yet again, I sat down, started to type, and the phone rang or my daughter needed help with her homework or our dogs were being needy or a doctor was calling with the latest test results.... I could go on and on.....

I guess I should start at the beginning.... and work my way forward. I hope my life calms down so I can catch up on the hours of cathartic writing ahead of me.

A couple of years ago, my grandmother asked me to handle her affairs upon her passing. Although it was a difficult conversation to have, it was the responsible thing to do. Being pro-active and all.
I agreed and signed some papers that would ease my grandmothers peace of mind. We also went over a living will and all that entails. I took the paperwork home with me and told myself that she was in great health for a 80 year old. She was very Independent, she still insisted she was able to drive ( we tried to deter her to no avail...) and she was living on her own with my parents next door in case something happened.

In early January 2010, something happened. I was out to lunch with my husband and our daughter when I got the call from my mother. My Grandmother was found on her bedroom floor in severe distress, suffering from delusions and hallucinations. That night, I had a new responsibility.... I became my grandmothers healthcare agent and had durable power of attorney. Just like that, my life changed drastically because I was now legally responsible for my 82 year old grandmother and needed to make decisions about her financial affairs and medical treatment. My family has been such a solid support system and I would not have been able to do what I did in the following 5 months, had it not been for their support.

I am looking forward to feeling the peace writing is supposed to bring. I have to stop writing for now and be brave enough to publish this blog entry in what hopefully will be only the first of many....