We just returned from vacation and came immediately back to the real world.

Vacation was awesome. We road-tripped to visit family - 2 weeks and 3000+ miles. The kids were amazing with all the driving. We visited all the grandparents and saw some good friends. We also did a bit of sightseeing and the kids got to experience some beautiful places in the Smoky Mountains.

As soon as we were home Mom notified me of an upcoming endoscopy this week - one that she needs transportation to/from. Of course. She's been having GI problems for a couple of months and finally decided to go to the doctor - even though I've been pestering her to make and appointment for weeks. Turns out she has blood in her stool, was referred to a gastroenterologist and he suspects an ulcer. Great.

Tonight I received a panicked phone call from Mom. She fell and cut herself and needed bandages. I coped wonderfully as always, got angry and shut down, so Hubby offered to go. He handled the situation much better than me, and called her back for details. The cut was actually a 3ish inch gash in her leg that was still bleeding and she also may have broken a finger. (I'm so used to her panicking and crying wolf that I have the tendency to blow her off.) He took her to the ER, after arguing with her about diabetics and the need to get medical attention for injuries to the lower extremities, and thankfully they fast-tracked her. She ended up with 7 sttiches and was heading back from X-ray when I last talked to Hubby.

She was also insistent that she wouldn't be going to the endoscopy this week because of whatever medication they will prescribe in the ER. (Antibiotics? Maybe a pain killer?) Hubby told her to call the doctor's office tomorrow and let them decide if she's OK for the scoping this week rather than deciding it herself.

And in true Mom form, she found yet another way to insult Hubby. While sitting in the waiting room, she decided he had ugly legs and big feet and told him all about it. He kindly waited until they were in a private room before explaining to her that insulting a person while they are doing you a favor isn't such a great idea.

And that is why I can't stand to be around my own mother for more than 5 minutes unless she's asleep or muzzled.