Deep Breath

So, the new year is starting off with a bang. Not a good bang, mind you... a sort of kick-you-in-the-crotch type of bang.

I was originally going to to got a pot luck with Jeff for New Year's Eve, but after being on my feet all day and being thoroughly drained by work, I was in now shape. So, I told him to be safe and have fun, then sent him off into the night. I kept fading in and out of sleep. I tried so hard to fall asleep! My body was exhausted... but Lola was walking around the house, banging metal pots with metal spoons. Mom was no the phone talking to anyone and everyone in her phone book... the kids were running all over the place... and dad was rolling his eyes (haha).

I set my alarm for 5 minutes till midnight, though, so that I could call Jeff and have him on the phone for the countdown. lol... Ok. So I gave up trying to sleep in my room and was sitting on the couch with my mom during the countdown. Lola was still bangin' pots in the next room. I looked over and my mom looked like she was hiding under her blanket. What the... Later, she told me she was praying. Do you really need to pray under the blanket? Really? As if I was going to eavesdrop on her conversation with the big dude.

Next day (the first), I was off... thank God. Dad, Jeff, & I took the girls ice skating on Embarcadero. SOOOO cold! OMG! The moment the elevator doors opened it was like a blast of, "FREEZE!" After a while of that, we went to Lori's Diner on Powell for dinner, which was cut short because my mom kept calling us frantically to come home.

We thought that she was being her usual, neurotic self, but it turned out that Lola was feeling really sick. She had thrown up and was feeling weak. At one point, I sat down next to her, put my arm around her shoulders, and asked, "You okay?" She immediately threw up. It was completley inappropriate for me to laugh, but I couldn't help it! The timing was perfect! Anyway, the fact that her teeth fell out didn't help the situation. Or that she was laughing, also. Or that she was yelling, "Don't throw that away! My teeth are in there!"

Fast forward to later than night...

My dad end up taking her to the emergency room and having to leave her there for observation.
And this morning, we found out that she was having a pacemaker put in because her heart was beating so weakly that it stopped at one point. Tito Miguel drove up from San Jose to see her. Tita Eva finally made an appearance to visit her, also. We're hoping to be able to visit her tomorrow. Jeff, also. He stayed at my house while we were at the emergency room to watch over my mom and the girls.

Fast forward to later this afternoon on my lunch break...

Our relative from the Philippines called my dad to let him know that the man who was like a second father to him had just died. It was strange because my dad was telling me on the drive back from the hospital that he was going to be flying out to the Philippines to visit him in late February/ early March. He was telling me to take out the garbage, watch mom, and take care of the family while he was away. Then... this afternoon's phone call. I hate seeing my dad cry. It happens so rarely that it's an almost physical pain to see it.

And now, we're just waiting and hoping.