Thursday, July 21, 2011

Bruised, Blistered, and Broken

I hate moving. Hate. It.

My arms and legs are covered in little (and some rather large) black and purple spots. My feet haven't taken this kind of beating since my pointe work days. Having to both pack and move in three days was frightening. However, I finally have all of my belongings out of Utah. An entire life is now in storage.

Unfortunately, it wasn't without tears. One very important piece of my heart had to be left behind. My grandma. She rapidly lost her house a few weeks ago, and lost something far more important along with it. Due to swollen blood vessels in her brain, most of her memory is gone. In two weeks time, a little confusion (not sure what year it is) escalated to to total disorientation (not recognizing her house, pets, and family members). She's improved since then, but with the loss of her home, and her not able to live alone, decisions had to be made.

And they were. My aunt told my mom to look at care centers and other options in Idaho. We did, and with a promising lead. We found a single wide, great looking, mobile home Grandma and I could live in, on my mom's property. We phone my aunt, tell her my grandma can live with absolutely zero bills, and surrounded by family, instead of in an "assisted living" facility. Well... the dream was killed when my aunt informed us they (her and my previously mentioned uncle) found an apartment for her for only about $1000 a month. She makes only a few more hundred a month with her social security, and has four dogs. Not a single pet is welcomed at the new place. She tells us it's no problem, one of the dogs can live with her, one can go to the neighbor, and the other two can just be put down.

True story.

My mom, sister, and I beat feet to SLC and stole the dogs.

My aunt and uncle sold most of my grandma's things and they moved into the new apartment yesterday. They took her phone and won't let her call me. The entire time I was packing, Grandma kept saying "please take me with you", "what am I going to do when you leave?". The dogs started barking and she panicked telling me "Scotty is going to kill them", one night we took her to a hotel because she was so afraid during one of my uncle's tirades.

I tell you... this whole situation is 100% bullshit. I don't know if she's upset, I don't know if she's safe, I don't know if she's healthy. I know nothing. And, I'm totally helpless. I'm not one to normally ask this but, to those of you who pray, if you could send a little one on behalf of my grandma, I'd appreciate it. She doesn't deserve to live in fear, but she is. And, it's breaking my heart.

I'd also like to extend another thank you to Garrett for helping me move my stuff up all those stairs. You're a hero. Also, the people from my mom's church for helping us unload. Champions, all of you.