Scoutfish 16 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Yesterday was our pack's combined B&G and PWD day. Yeah, that may sound odd to most of you, but it really works wells for us. Anyways, I have to start out by starting with 2 weeks ago: WEEK ONE Saturday My mother in law was hospitalized after suffering from Pulminary Edima and cardiac arrest while 4 hours away from home. She ends up in a coma. This was Saturaday - 2 weeks ago. Tuesday I go 4 hours to hospiutal and see my wife for te first time since that Saturday morning. Later, we meet with neurologist who says that mother in law will be a lifetime vegetative state at best, but most likely will not survive long without life support. Lot of family meeting and discussions. We know what must be done as well as respecting my mother in laws wishes. But we do have time to work it out. I leave that night to come back home & take care of my son. Wednseday Around noon, my mom calls to tell me that one of my aunts died. About 11:30 pm, my mom calls me again and says: "I don't want you ton worry, but I just called EMS because my bp is 167 over 110 and mty bp monitor can't even get a reading on the pulse. " Now, since I had not only my son with me, but a nephew too - and all other family is 4 hours away at hospital - I cannot do anything but sit at home and wait by the phone. No sleep for me until 4 am when she calls to say she is home and doing fine - after they shocked her back into rythm. I think she actually enjoyed the ride and visit as she used to be a EMT / caregiver. Thursday An Uncle( in law) is taken to ER in real bad shape because of both poor health combined with added stress over Mother in law( HIS SISTER) WEEK TWO Saturday We finally get around to working on PWD car. I cut some, my son cuts some, then it's all up to him. He sands, paints, checks and mounts wheels. Sunday (It's been a week and 1 day since mother in law went to CICU. I go 4 hours back to hospital to say my goodbyes to my mother in law ( who mentally died the Saturday a week before) and to be with my wife. I am there as well as the rest of the family and a couple of my mother in law's sisters and brothers. My mother in law is taken off life support. My wife holds her moms hand for a little over 4 hours until she passes away, and then an additional 2 hours after that. It's 1:30 am by the time we get back to the family house the Chaplin arranged for us, and Monday around noon before we get back home. The next 3 days are kinda foggy as we were more on autopilot than anything else. Meetings with other kin fiolk, meetings with funeral homes, calling insurance company, meeting with people from cemetary, family visitation night... Thursday We have the funeral. Toughest day yet, but also a turning point and closure on what has happened up to that point. Today begins a new chapter of life for all of us. Friday I am going back to work for the first time the whole week and about halfway there when I realise that neither my son or myself ever weighed the car. The car, by the way, is an 80's style Porsche 911 and my son added wood to the sides so he could cut out wheel wells and carve ( cut out) a scale body style . Even had the whale tail rear spoiler on it. Friday after noon, I weigh car. 6.4 ounces. Son is with mom and in laws house, so I get out dremel tool and start taking chuncks of wood out of the bottom and weighing it, weighing it and weighing it again. Get it at 4.9. Do you know how much wood you have to remove from a PWD car to make it weigh 1 .5 ounces less? ALOT! WE shoot for 4.9 to allow for variances in scales. Then I manage to break the rear spolier off the car. Well....not so much break it off as break part of it off. Time to get glue out and fix it. You'd thought I was scared I was going to get in trouble or something. Kinda funny now, but thought I was going to cry at the time. Son gets home around 10 pm . Oh yeah, I forgot. I started sniffling and sneezing around noon on Friday. Head starts getting stuffy and headaches start too. Called one of my ACM's and turned over emcee duties. Saturday Time for B&G and PWD- I have a full blown cold. I am starting to seriously debate wether to just say screw it and tell my son that it just isn't meant to be. But I realize that this is the closest thing to normalacy for him after the previous 2 weeks, so I am determined to take him. On the way to the PWD check in, I apologize that we didn't have alot of time to work on his car and that I was sorry we had to rush things. My son won 1st place in his age division of 5th grade Webelos . He places 2nd overall in the pack. And will go to district to represent our pack for 2nd year Webelos As rough is it was for the previous two weeks, I am so glad we went. (This message has been edited by scoutfish) Link to post Share on other sites
Scoutfish 16 Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 Forgot to mention.... COR recognizes and presents me with a gold plated BSA keychain with my name and position inscribed in the back for turning things around and "getting the program right again so that the scouts enjoy it like it was meant to be" . I had no idea this was going to happen. Link to post Share on other sites
Papadaddy 121 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Last 2 years were our "eventful" years...MIL passed, settled her estate, 1st grandaughter born, #1 son got married, wife's brother died suddenly at age 50 and now I'm handling his estate, and "inherited" a nephew to keep on track until graduation in 2 years. They say God won't put more on our plate than we can handle, but I wish he wouldn't keep it so full. Congrats on the PWD win! Link to post Share on other sites
packsaddle 753 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Been there, done that. I only had myself to blame. The young man is enjoying his time. He's happy-go-lucky, free as a spirit and ready to take on the world. Everything looks great and there's nothing but future and adventure and fun. Then he notices this really cute girl. ....everything is looking even better now...... This is both the good and the bad of testosterone poisoning. Link to post Share on other sites
Basementdweller 608 Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Brother, you have a heck of a start to 2012.....Hope it gets better and glad your son did well in the derby.... Link to post Share on other sites
OwntheNight 10 Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 That my friend is what you call faith, karma, etc. at work. When it seems like the world is closing in on you and nothing makes sense, a small glimmer of light gives you a break and lets you hold on through the darkness. I'm glad to hear that Scouting was there for you and your son when you needed it. I feel your pain, last year at this time, I found myself in that dark place dealing with emotions and feelings I hadn't dealt with in over 30 years yet at the same time trying to take over a pack that was on the verge of being ripped apart for all the wrong reasons. It was my friends in Scouting and my family, and even the voices on this forum that gave me the courage to move forward. No matter what life throws at you, your friends and family will have your back so that you don't have to walk alone. Be there for your wife and son through these tough times, I'll keep sending out my thoughts and prayers to you and your family. Link to post Share on other sites
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