"They say" write, keep a journal, jot down all your troubles. This is therapy. Well something has to work. I know I could kick the troll out of my house. Knowing I have that option is somewhat soothing. But I won't, I believe she is our responsibility. I'm pretty sure she is my payback.



On Monday she went to ER. They admitted her to rule out heart attack and a blood clot from the surgery on her knee the week before. On Wednesday they did an ultrasound, Thursday some test(can't remember the name) to test the function of the gall bladder, which they found to be sluggish, and Friday a cat scan. Each day they said that yes, the problem is your gall bladder. Why would they keep her for 6 day in the hospital for a gall bladder. She was as happy as a clam. She told Dan that she'll make more money for this stay than when she was in for her knee the previous week. You see, she has some policy with AARP that pays her money for each day she spends in the hospital, and each procedure she has done.

This is an honest scam. How do you like that oxymoron? It's legit. So she should have lots of Christmas money. Or not. She will spend it the first week she has it. If Christmas is not that week she will be crying at Christmastime for lack of money.

So they planned on doing surgery on Saturday, but the surgeon at the last minute decided not to proceed. She has been on plavix, and aspirin and so would bleed. They sent her home on Sunday. Why not Saturday? I don't know. That week while she was enjoying her stay at the hospital, our home was wonderfully peaceful. Then, it came home. She walked up the stairs talking, thru the doorway talking, and talked non stop the rest of the evening. The next day
we had to go to court. We are fighting for custody of Dan's daughter and she does not want to live with us. There are good reasons for our fight. Then that evening we found that my Bailey Boy had blood in his urine. Dan would have to run him to the vet in the morning. I had to go to work where overtime is exhausting us all. That night, last night, I cracked my mouth guard. A mouth guard is made to protect your teeth when you grind your teeth while sleeping. I have to find a better way to deal with stress.

During this time, I have been interviewing Rita. I'm taking notes and we started at the beginning. Boy, that is depressing. The things that come out of her mouth are shocking, disgusting, amusing and interesting. It's the abuse that I have a hard time hearing. Put it all together and maybe I can make some sense out of her. Researching helps me to understand. I've done some research on the Appalachian people. This is where she comes from. That doesn't help explain her, only her origins.