Damn, what a week. So, late last Wednesday afternoon, I had to rush across town and take my mom to the emergency room. →[More:] She was in horrible, horrible pain all through her midsection. We finally left the hospital in the pre-dawn hours Thursday morning, with a diagnosis of diverticulitis: not life-threatening, but definitely incapacitating, esp. for a woman in her late 60s who already has mobility problems and a couple of other health issues.

I've been staying at my mom's house since then, helping her while she recuperates (she couldn't get out of bed for the first three days). I have my own room at her house (I generally sleep over one night a week, anyway) and my partner brought me clothes and stuff that I'd need to come back to work today, since I'd literally run out of our house Wednesday in my sweats, carrying my cellphone and car keys and that was it.

Mom's doing much much better, was out of bed most of yesterday, and just called me to let me know she'd slept well and is doing well this morning. (I have to leave her house a little after 6 AM to get to work on time, so she was asleep when I left.) I'm planning to stay at her place through Wednesday night, so I still won't have internet access during the evenings... also, I'm on a serious deadline at work this week, so I may be scarce even during the day.

If you tried to email me or otherwise reach me over the last four or five days, this is why I may not have replied yet- but I am catching up! :)