Hello everyone! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas yesterday - or a lovely relaxing day for any of you who do not celebrate Christmas.
This morning, Mark and I were snuggling in bed and we were reliving some of our most special moments from his Wish Trip. I cannot believe that I still have not been able to write a Trip Report, but I do plan on doing it. It will be good for me to spend time - when I can find the time! - to refocus on that wonderful time we had together.
That conversation reminded me how wonderful it has been to find friends here among the WishTrippers - all of you understand and appreciate our challenges in ways that most people simply cannot, try though they may. Here we can share our joys, and seek comfort and solace when times are tough. I feel like a little part of me has been on each of your Wish Trips...and I am looking forward to travelling along with those of you who are still planning. We are so blessed!
Since we returned, life has been tough. I've already told you about the renovations, moving out and so on. As well, Mark hasn't been feeling all that well, just catching everything that's running around, lacking energy etc. We had a disheartening visit with his G/I when we all shared our frustrations about his lack of weight gain. At age 10, Mark weights 44 whopping pounds, and creeps up only a few pounds a year, if we're lucky. We have a plan to step up his overnight tube feedings, which theoretically should work, but somehow doesn't seem to.
My mother's dementia is developing at an alarming rate, and I never know what the next phone call will bring. While she was already in a retirement home, she now has overnight care to prevent her from trying to go out for a walk/errands in the middle of the night (because she has tried!), and she is experencing hallucinations that might be funny if it isn't so frightening that they are happening. Last week, for several days, she believed that I had left my husband and children and run off with "that man"...heartbreaking to hear your mother say "you're not the person I always thought you were and I can't understand how you could leave your children". Oh rats. I started off wanting to right an uplifting message of thanks to you all, and here I am crying, and in the middle of a huge vent. Thankfully, the "scarlet woman" story seems to have disappeared, and spending time with Peter and the boys yesterday was good for her...but she was so timid, so unsure, so not herself. I feel as though I have already lost her.
Well, this was not the message that I planned to send, but I do think it is the message I needed to send today. I hope you are all enjoying precious family time, and again, I offer to all of you my thanks for your friendship and support.
Alison
And if you lose it, GKTW will give you another one...but you are stuck for the day without it! 
