Vacation '09, Day 5 -- update on my uncle, hiking, the woes of internet tv

[edenfalling]

We have decided, after much discussion, to leave around 8am tomorrow morning instead of around noon as we'd initially planned. This will give my dad more time to be around and hopefully be of some use as emotional support to my aunt, though there is nothing physical anyone can do at this point. (Well, maybe start packing up her apartment?)

ETA, 2:30pm -- my Uncle Bob was taken off the ventilator this morning and died around 12:30pm. We are still going down to the Twin Cities very early Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, this morning my mom, my dad, their dog, and I hiked around Lake Windigo (the lake in the center of Star Island -- yes, that makes it a lake within a lake). Now we are going to have chicken and barley soup for lunch, after which we plan to sit on the dock for a bit and maybe put highlighted streaks in my mom's hair. (I confess I do not see the point of that, but she likes the effect of dishwater blond mixed in with slightly graying brown.)

While my parents are down on the dock, I plan to see if our wireless internet connection is robust enough for me to stream Heroes episodes from Hulu, because they are currently offering five episodes per week, changing each Wednesday, and therefore I won't be home in time to see the fifth of this week's offerings if I cannot watch it here.

Stupid television shows. Visual media stories are so much less convenient than written ones.

Comments

[doire]

My sympathies to you and your aunt. Expectaction doesn't make this any easier.

Take care.

[edenfalling]

Thank you. Inasmuch as possible, the family is converging on St. Paul to be with Aunt Jan while she deals with the necessary practical details.

[alchymie.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry about your uncle. My condolences to you, and to your families. ((offers hug))

[edenfalling]

Thank you. My aunt is holding up as well as can be expected, I suppose. She and my cousin will join me, my parents, and Ardis at Ardis's house for dinner tonight.

We are packing up their temporary apartment today and tomorrow. My uncle's body will be autopsied -- apparently the hospital has never seen his particular set of complications before, and the doctors are strongly interested in learning exactly what went wrong so they can prevent it in future patients. Then he will be cremated, and the memorial service will be in early October in Virginia.