So after quite a contentious debate, we settled on a compromise. tf-mom didn't want to stay in the hospice center, and so she agreed to go to the hospital's radiology center on Friday and get a shunt put in. This will enable a home-visiting hospice nurse (someone she's known for years) to drain excess fluids at home. It took all day (of course; nothing at a hospital takes less than a day). I joked with one of the hospice aides in the morning that I didn't know how to find the house in the daylight anymore.

Around 2:30 or 3 PM they finally took her for the procedure (they gave her an 11 AM appointment, but hey). Only one visitor is allowed in the room while she's waiting, or recovering, so of course that was toxicfur. They came out to say it went well and they'd release her around 4, so we notified the brothers of that. There's no cell-phone signal, or wireless intarwebs, in the outpatient waiting area.

Turns out her blood pressure had gone way down when they drained off 1.7 L of fluid; it was something like 70/40. So they gave her a liter of IV fluids and released her, around 6-ish. We brought her home in her SUV; a large vehicle is handy for transporting people who aren't feeling well.

The dog was thrilled to see her mama.

And she's clearly still uncomfortable, but at least she's uncomfortable at home. And making relatively minimal demands on toxicfur (for now). The very southern visiting hospice nurse says she'll play the "you don't want to be a burden" card on tf-mom later this weekend, to get her to agree to being bathed by an aide now and then.

toxicfur is holding up pretty well. When we got home last night, brother J came over for a while (thus escaping a wedding rehearsal he had to watch because his wife is a bridesmaid), so toxicfur and I went to the one authentic Mexican restaurant in this little town. It was slammed when we got there, but, after the way of small towns, by 7:30 or so the rush was over and we got a very nice meal. We then went to the grocery store for some miscellany, which I procured while toxicfur filled in her aunt L, who's been a rock of rationality in the midst of the maelstrom.

The night seems to have gone well, in both wings of the house. :-D

And that's that, pretty much. I need to find out where the dump is, so I can haul away the trash. That's one thing google is not very good at, unless the town or the company who run the dump have a web site or at least a yellow pages entry. Anyway, brother J will be around later, and I'm sure he knows. I've been there myself, and with some wandering about I could probably find the place.

It's really good to know there are people out there who care. Thanks for all the comments and e-mails and PMs.

Oh, and I appreciate the votes for my silly little sauce picture in the photo fun challenge.