A year ago today...

A year ago today ... Debbie was miserable, and my life was just a tad more complicated that it is right now.

Debbie had shattered her left knee joint and right kneecap just a few days before.  She'd just come out of surgery to reconstruct the knee's socket and had been admitted to the TCU (Transitional Care Unit) at Logan Regional Hospital.  She was in considerable pain, and both legs were strapped into braces that locked them straight.  We hadn't learned of her osteoporosis yet, but we knew that something must be wrong with her bones.

My mom had just arrived at the nursing home in Logan, and was giddy with happiness at having done so.  We had no idea, at that moment, that she had just ten days or so to live.  All we knew was that she was here, bubbling over with the joy of being here, seeing my brother Scott and I, and meeting some of the Utahans she'd been hearing about.  Scott and I were very busy getting her room outfitted.  The only concern we really had was that her mental state seemed out of character and almost unreasonably happy, and we didn't have any idea why.

I had just picked up our two new field spaniel puppies, Cabo and Mako.  The two of them were quite a handful – bundles of non-house-trained energy and joy.  They were a lot of work for both me and Michelle H. (who pitched in to help on many occasions for a few weeks starting late May last year).  I have trouble imagining how I could possibly have coped with Debbie's injury, mom's arrival, and the puppies' arrival without Michelle's help.  She was the good friend we could count on, going out of her way to check on me, calling every day to coordinate where I needed help with the chaos, and always, always cheering me on.  Despite being a lot of work, the puppies were also a source of peace and happiness for me.  Amid the chaos of my life, I could count on them to bring a smile and calm me down. 

By comparison things seem downright placid today...  :)