The falling leaves drift by my window.....

Today is Mike day.  Ron is taking him to a basketball game this afternoon.  That gives me an afternoon free of phone calls.  I don't know exactly what I have planned for the day but I guess I'll just wing it.

We have had to change our trip plans to North Carolina.  It has become perfectly clear that we both can't be gone for 2 weeks so Ron is going to go without me.  He will drive there and spend a couple of weeks with his daughter and her family.  I'll stay here with Mike.  We decided that there is just no way we can leave him that long.  Every day he has some minor crisis (even if only in his head) and we are just afraid we'd get about 200 miles away and have to turn around and come back.  This way Ron can go and enjoy his time with his daughter.  In May we may both be able to fly out and attend his grandson's graduation if we are only gone 2 or 3 days at the most.

This is the reality of caring for someone with mental illness.  There are no services available to give us a respite from the job.  My older brother is not in the best shape himself and his wife doesn't want him to be responsible for Mike long enough for us to get away.  I understand her concern.  When Ron was in the hospital the last time that's when Mike flipped out a little and Butch had to stay with him night and day.  Butch's wife doesn't want that to happen again and it very well could if we are both gone.  So we will just make the best of the situation.

Hopefully when we go to Arizona we will just plan to take Mike with us.  It isn't ideal but we wouldn't be worried about him every minute either.  

I am so anxious for fall to get here.  It is my favorite time of the year.  I love to watch the leaves turn and fall from the trees.  I love sweater weather and the smell of the air.  I just love it and I can't wait!