I feel almost as if this were some sort of time warp. I know I have done things... but I seem to have lost the weekend completely. It has been a blur...trips to the hospital... trips to the store... trips to the house... long hours sitting at the bedside. Very little sleep. Rushed meals. Endless support.... endless phone calls. Visits from friends and family.

It's an odd thing. On one hand, my father's health has plummeted ever so rapidly. And yet, he has been better these past few days than he has been in a week... it is confusing.... and hard to not be puzzled by things...

I know that I was only back home in ABQ for 2 weeks... and yet so very much has changed. The hills are green and lush. The town is "buzzing" with last week's Maple Festival activities... (which I sadly missed). And my parent's lives have changed so dramatically.

This "hurry up and wait" time has been it's own special hell.... but we are all resigned to the inevitable, and dealing with it the best we can. ... and I am grateful; in spite of the strangeness;
for this slowness of time to spend with my parents...

photos by Elaine A. Russell