July and October reports...and in December, the end of this era

[bumbershoot]

Sadly, the problem with AL is that it's not actually what she needs. Or, rather, what she NEEDS would cost even more. Because what she needs is someone making sure she takes her pills* and eats. Which means someone visiting at least twice a day. And AL or no AL, that costs some money. Money that isn't out there.

Now we've hit the roadblock that she is resisting giving us her financial info, which we need to make any decisions based on actual knowledge. I found out that the day (the HOUR, no, the half hour) she chose to throw papers at me, papers like bank statements, etc, because she was misunderstanding what I was saying about her supplemental insurance**, she then told BIL's friend that she didn't trust me, that I wanted to know ALL about her money, and why was I doing that.

Short term memory loss. Long term, too. Not her fault. Nothing to do with ME.

Still hurts, though.

And drives me mad that she has absolutely no logic, no memory of things, won't listen, and yet she gets to decide that she won't go to AL and won't make the money available for someone more proper to check on her.

Impossible.



*if she doesn't want to treat all of this, she could say so. she's an adult. she can make her decisions. the trouble comes in when she SAYS she'll treat it, but then either doesn't remember to take her pills, or is choosing to not take them. ***

**if you are going to use AARP supplemental insurance, you have to keep your AARP membership, and not cancel it because they are "always" taking money out of your account, which means ONE charge of $16 per YEAR, along with the premiums. (and that was a decision made two years ago, before these strokes happened...)

***due to the number of times she has stated that she wants to die, is ready to "go", etc etc, in front of her grandchildren, they barely pay attention to her now. They are all pre-mourning her, and it's almost like she's not in the room for them now, because they feel that she is just about to die. It's SO sad, but it's because of how much she talks in front of them. I tried to get some stuff not talked about last night in front of the kids, and they all said "it's OK, grandma talks about that already". Sigh.

 

[kaoden39]

Molly, I think it is time to step aside and let her kids handle it. Obviously she is going to resist the help from you. Since when is she buddy enough with your BILs friend to talk to him about you? I thought they didn't get along.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm not talking to her at all from here forth about where she should live, who should take care of her, etc. I am going to let Robert talk about finances with her. Since I"m still the one here and available, I'll continue to take her to appointments.

BIL's friend (well, ex, and mysteriously a housemate once he reappeared after a few years...and the cause of strife with BIL's boyfriend) has always had a weird relationship with her. It's like me in the last couple years, where my presence wore her down and she would talk to me, but he had a LOT more time to do this. And since he's back and works nearby, they talk. And he has always been the biggest, WORST, gossip with her, especially about me. His words made me cry last night because he said "oh, she HATES you now". I held it together until he left the room, then talked quickly with BIL and boyfriend, who assured me I needed to pay attention to the source of that "info", and he exaggerates everything especially when it comes to the negative things she says.

In the meantime, he calls her the "dragon", and really despises her, even while encouraging her to dislike other people. He's a mystery. A mystery I wish would get his own life and leave this family's.

 

[bumbershoot]

October 7th.


Got in late and got up early! Receipts are inconvenient, so just some pictures. We were quickly finishing up the trivia challenges offered by the resort.

A fluffy lion.

Today Eamon chose to not check back in regularly with us on Tom Sawyer's. This was a pretty big problem. He knows that my claustrophobia and Robert's smaller-but-still-big size cause us to have a very hard time following him into the caverns. In July he checked in every few minutes, and I had no expectation that he would just disappear. So imagine half an hour with no checkins, with your mind slowly starting to work itself into all the things a mind can think of with children. Everything you can imagine I imagined, I imagined.

When we finally spotted him, he darted off again. Oh gracious that was BAD. Once he was corralled, we left the island immediately, and had a LONG talk with him. We aren't the kinds to punish while at Disney, because that sucks for us, so we made an extra-long punishment for once we got home, that he's still working on. Nearly got it extended today, too, with attitude.

So anyway, that's the only picture taken on the island.


This was the day we tried the Fried Green Tomato Sandwich. And the verdict is "mmmmgood!" LOVED it.

No surprise that this was E's meal.

Underside of Tarzan's bridge.

Sigh, Indy...

Took some time (and quarters) to play Indiana Jones pinball in the same-themed giftshop. It was a GREAT game!

Walking on by.

Hopped over to DCA for various things (animation academy of course) and beverages at Fiddler etc. Love the Starbucks/Mickey confetti cups.

The lockers behind Grizzly are very clear as to how long you get for the free rental!

That late afternoon E and I went to the PPH arcade, where he flew a plane.

ha!

 

[kaoden39]

He has got to go. Who knows what he is saying to her? Let Robert deal with her. What about SIL? Why isn't she helping more with her mother? I'm sorry if I am being nosy. I just know that if it was my mom no matter how busy I might be I would be deep in it working this out.

 

[kaoden39]

Poor Molly. Kids just don't understand it, we worry. It's a fact of life. I understand waiting to do the time for the crime as it were until the trip is over. It would ruin the vacation for everyone.


I loved the fried green tomato sandwich in February. It just had so much flavor to it.


That shirt is great!!

 

[bumbershoot]

Leaving Robert to nap, E and I went to DCA, where he had the old tried and true kid's meal bean and cheese burrito.

Alas, it was NOT the tried and true. They've made the tortilla a horrid, DRY, whole wheat atrocity. And they replaced the Mexican rice with brown rice with peas and carrots.



Eamon was NOT impressed.

I went to talk to the CM, and she told me that this is some California thing, giving healthy options for children. However, when there's no other choice, it's not an *option*. Disneyland is a day, or maybe a week, out of a child's life. And healthy food that's not eaten has ZERO nutritious value. Oily Mexican rice has rice, has spices, and oil isn't ALL bad, especially at Disney, because it's not lard, but vegetable oil. And even the lard being bad thing could be argued by the Paleo diet people! (obviously I disagree, but I have very healthy friends who thrive on Paleo, or at least for the past year)

They told me to go up to the window and ask for the old rice, which is available for adults. Once that was done, he was happier.

The tortilla was sidestepped by opening it up and eating the beans and cheese inside. Getting it replaced might be a bigger problem, since the flour tortillas for adult meals are much much bigger than the one for kids.

I also had a kid's meal, and I choked down the rice, which was absolutely terrible. I've had good brown rice with peas and carrots, and that, my friends, is NOT good brown rice with peas and carrots.

It was Sunday of Gay Days weekend, and seeing all the happy couples walking around in red shirts made me miss my BIL and his partner so much! (I never would have said that with the ex, not even a little bit) We were so sad they couldn't make it. Last night I made sure they knew that we would love to go with them next year, and maybe they can plan for it through this year.

But even really pleasant evenings at DCA must come to an end, especially the ones that are on the last night of the trip.

 

[kaoden39]

I make Mexican rice with brown rice, I prefer brown rice but not everyone does. You know as well as I do that healthy food can be yummy. I don't get it. Wheat tortillas are rather awful.

 

[bumbershoot]

He has got to go. Who knows what he is saying to her? Let Robert deal with her. What about SIL? Why isn't she helping more with her mother? I'm sorry if I am being nosy. I just know that if it was my mom no matter how busy I might be I would be deep in it working this out.

Knowing what I know about SIL, this is what we can expect from her. They had a rocky relationship and SIL has had a rocky life, and right now she is knee deep in bettering herself and raising her daughters. She's also nearly 3 hours' drive away. With what I know about her, this is fine. I understand.

I also remember that when my mom was diagnosed with leukemia, I was never able to get out to see her. I had a new job with absolutely no time off accrued yet, I had no money to actually get there, and my mom was really weak with chemo. Once she was on a break from chemo, I got the nasty horrible flu, so bad I truly thought I'd seen the last of the world as I went to bed 12/31/99. I was incredibly surprised when I woke up in 2000, because I had been so sick. So I had to recuperate, then she was back in chemo, then I caught a cold, and back and forth. Finally we had it planned for me to fly out, and then she died.

It still gets to me sometimes, that I didn't quit my job and just move back home, but that didn't feel like an option then. So if anyone needs to cut her some slack, especially given her past, it's me.

And she has been really sweet to me, thanking me at every turn, even in "public" on FB.


The ex has GOT to go. I hope that BIL can figure that out soon.

 

[bumbershoot]

I make Mexican rice with brown rice, I prefer brown rice but not everyone does.

Oh, I should have said that there were NO spices whatsoever, not even salt, in the brown rice with peas and carrots. It's not *Mexican* anymore for the kids. It's like British food now, LOL. But without any butter, even. Because that would be unhealthy, of course.

And when you look on the menuboard, you don't know, because it doesn't say whole wheat or bland rice...it just says burrito, and it says "rice", which I don't remember if it's a difference or not.

 

[kaoden39]

Knowing what I know about SIL, this is what we can expect from her. They had a rocky relationship and SIL has had a rocky life, and right now she is knee deep in bettering herself and raising her daughters. She's also nearly 3 hours' drive away. With what I know about her, this is fine. I understand.

I also remember that when my mom was diagnosed with leukemia, I was never able to get out to see her. I had a new job with absolutely no time off accrued yet, I had no money to actually get there, and my mom was really weak with chemo. Once she was on a break from chemo, I got the nasty horrible flu, so bad I truly thought I'd seen the last of the world as I went to bed 12/31/99. I was incredibly surprised when I woke up in 2000, because I had been so sick. So I had to recuperate, then she was back in chemo, then I caught a cold, and back and forth. Finally we had it planned for me to fly out, and then she died.

It still gets to me sometimes, that I didn't quit my job and just move back home, but that didn't feel like an option then. So if anyone needs to cut her some slack, especially given her past, it's me.

And she has been really sweet to me, thanking me at every turn, even in "public" on FB.


The ex has GOT to go. I hope that BIL can figure that out soon.

I understand that there are reasons I just think it is unfair that you are stuck in this position. I am sorry about your mom, that is hard. You honestly couldn't take the cold or flu to your mom. She wouldn't have been able to fight it.

Oh, I should have said that there were NO spices whatsoever, not even salt, in the brown rice with peas and carrots. It's not *Mexican* anymore for the kids. It's like British food now, LOL. But without any butter, even. Because that would be unhealthy, of course.

And when you look on the menuboard, you don't know, because it doesn't say whole wheat or bland rice...it just says burrito, and it says "rice", which I don't remember if it's a difference or not.

I don't understand that. Kids deserve food that tastes good. Plus honestly it is not up top Disney to police what kids eat, its up top the parents.

 

[bumbershoot]

We woke up and finished packing. We did the unthinkable, and stashed our bags in the trunk of the car. Shocking, I know!

We decided to try out Steakhouse 55, as I'd heard they had good non-steak options for breakfast.


Robert and I both had their version of Huevos Rancheros.

Eamon had pancakes, and they had REAL maple syrup, which was very exciting for us.

I liked this little area.

Looking out over the lounge area from inside.

A design on the wall outside the bathrooms up near Steakhouse 55.

Also during the previous evening E and I did some shopping, still searching for that "pew pew" shirt that I couldn't find. I can't remember what all we bought apart from a purse:

By the time I got home on the evening of the 8th (remembering I bought this purse on the 7th), it had already started to break. I called on the 10th and got an RMA, which I promptly lost and then got involved with the MIL-care, and I have to call them again.


Monday the 8th was Columbus Day. I had NO interest in being in the parks that day. Alas, the musket we had bought E was broken, and I had to find a new one. I hoped this could be taken care of at World of Disney, while E and R swam, and I could meet them soon.

This wish was not fulfilled. It required a LOT of walking around, and a lot of waiting as a WOD CM called every store in the parks he could think of to find the musket. Finally he found it after calling Pieces of Eight. So off I went into the parks.

Columbus Day. Wall of people at bag check. UGH. I got in line and waited. Waited behind a group of people with no bags, who waited, as there's no no-bag line. Got up towards the front. A lady walked up as though she was peering through to the esplanade, like she was looking to see if there was someone waiting for her. Kept inching forward, peering, peering, peering. Then just sort of slipped in front of me and zipped through (she had no bag). I was sarcastically laughing (and mad at myself b/c I didn't say anything) and told the CM "that lady just cut the entire line", and the CM didn't care. Which made my hot, not wanting to deal with fellow humans, self even more annoyed.

Waited in wall of humans line to get into Disneyland, walked through moving walls of humans to get back to Pieces of Eight.

"Hi, I was just talking with x CM at WOD, and he called you guys and talked with y CM, and she said that you guys had these muskets".

Looks of sheer disbelief.

"Oh we've been out of those for months."

"Yes, I was surprised, too, when he said that she said you had them, but that's what she told him."

"Oh hon, we've been out of those for months."

"OK, but x talked to y, and"

"Who is y?"

"She answered the phone when x called here."

"Who is x? I don't understand."

"Oh, OK. I was just talking with x CM at WOD, and he called you guys and talked with y CM, and she said that you guys had these muskets."

"We've been out of those for months."

"Yes, I never saw them here, not in July or this trip. But y, the CM that answered the phone when x called, said you had a bunch of them."

"He called here? What number?"

"I don't know what number, he got the number from the little yellow booklets you all have."

"Booklets?"

"Yes, the yellow booklets like the one in your pocket there?" pointing to her pocket...

"Oh these. Well hon, there are 4 numbers here, what number did he call?"

Blinking....

"I don't know. He looked at it, called a number, indicated to me that he was talking to Pieces of Eight, and they said..."

FINALLY a supervisor walked by and we all grabbed for her, LOL.

"I was just talking with x CM at WOD, and he called you guys and talked with y CM, and she said that you guys had these muskets."

"Oh, y? She's at Pirate's League. They must have transferred x to her over there. Let me walk you over."

Walks me over...

"Hi, are you the y that x just talked to about the"

"Oh the muskets! Yes, they are right over there, we're hiding them from everyone."

(by the way, the PL people all talk in British, piratey, accents and are FABULOUS fun.)

"Thank you thank you thank you."

Meanwhile, the CM is staring down the barrel of the broken musket, pulling the trigger repeatedly and saying "yep, it's broken!"

"So what's the exchange process?"

"Here's the musket!"

"That's it? Thank you!"


I stopped in at Pieces of Eight to say something to them, which was basically a "they helped me, you people are nuts" moment in a terse voice, then I took off, through the walls of people going the opposite direction as me. Then stopped in at WOD to let the CM know that he had been transferred, and that the PL people had them and that they were delightful. He appreciated my follow-up, and said that he would keep that info for his most special guests.


Finally got back to the pool, where I found that the guys were done with swimming, but I still had time. So I changed and swam for awhile, did some laps (hard to do at the DLH pool!). Got out, got a little sun, the guys ate something, got me an iced latte...


In case people ask "do they have life jackets at the pool?" I have a visual:

Pictures of that day at the pool...

Someone was using OUR cabana, which we felt to be quite cheeky. Doesn't DLH know it's OURS?


Changed back, gathered things together... Shopped a bit at the giftshop, mainly for those chocolate coins because we LOVE them and have proven ourselves to be quite good at portioning them out over the months...

Then headed on off to the airport massively early because Robert couldn't believe me that SNA was *that* close and that the rental car return was *that* easy and close at that airport. So we sat outside security for nearly an hour, drinking all the waters we had, rearranging bags, etc, until we checked the bags, then sat drinking more water and chatting, then finally went through to wait another nearly 2 hours... (did I mention *massively* early?)

Had our flights, my purse broke, got home, it was all good.



Then we had a week before the new set of "storms" hit poor MIL!

 

[bumbershoot]

I understand that there are reasons I just think it is unfair that you are stuck in this position. I am sorry about your mom, that is hard. You honestly couldn't take the cold or flu to your mom. She wouldn't have been able to fight it.




I don't understand that. Kids deserve food that tastes good. Plus honestly it is not up top Disney to police what kids eat, its up top the parents.

Yep, you totally get what I'm saying, and the reality of my mom's situation, and how I feel about the kid's meal changes!



My aunt was the caregiver for my grandma for over a decade. While my grandma stopped speaking relatively early on in her Alzheimers journey, and therefore didn't complain, my aunt tells me that "dementia" (which is a horrid word even though it isn't meant in a horrid way when doctors use it) can cause lots of hurt feelings IF the caregivers let themselves stay sensitive. She wants more involvement of the actual kids, too, but also counsels me to not get my feelings hurt. It's not HER, it's the memory loss. If she hadn't had that last stroke we would be right where we were before; nothing has changed but her brain, and it's not her fault.

Once my grandma went into the nursing home (she had a reverse mortgage, and so when she fell down her stairs and broke her hip, it kicked in once she was at the rehab nursing home for a certain period of time (but they knew she was never leaving even if she didn't have the reverse mortgage)), my aunt got to meet a lot of people in harder situations than she had. One of my grandma's roommates had extreme memory loss and was very vocal, and Every Single Day would yell at her daughter, who visited Every Single Day, that she NEVER visited, she was all alone, and that she was a hateful daughter for leaving her in such a place. Meanwhile, the daughter washed her clothes, brought her homemade goodies, did everything the nursing home didn't do, and visited her ALL the time, but her mom didn't remember, and screamed at her about it.

According to my aunt, this is common. My grandma was uncommon because she stopped talking so early. However, when she was still in her home, she would try to push my aunt down the stairs! She was angry at what was happening, and took it out on the one person that was taking care of her the most. So...it happens.

I just have to put my Teflon suit on and not let it get to me. And not talk to BIL's friend anymore.

 

[kaoden39]

We've done the luggage in the car thing. Boy we're both such rebels!!


I would be very upset about the purse, those things are outrageous! Okay the musket debacle. Seriously? There were some really good CMs there and then there were the not real good ones.


The pool seems so nice and relaxing way to spend sometime. I love to sit and read by the pool, not much for swimming.



I agree about the teflon suit and definitely stay away from BILs ex. I think that he needs to take a long walk off of a short pier as my dad would have said.

 

[bumbershoot]

I liked your whole post.



Had a really good conversation with the Home Health social worker today; she called to see if she should come out and assess MIL. We talked about things for quite awhile, and it was really good. I got a much better understanding of Medicaid, etc; I still don't totally understand it all, but I'm not in despair anymore, because I realize that it's not a lost cause to get her to qualify for it in case she has to go to AL.


For a bit of time there we were secretly comparing her actions and reactions to a toddler. Today Robert flat out told her that she's like a teenager, and she *has to* let us know what her plans are. Why? Because she had a home health nurse visit this morning (they called last night and I didn't have time to tell her until early this morning), then the PT called to go out and assess her. Robert was going up, and as soon as he could get a moment after her nurse visit, he called to let her know about the PT's impending visit. He was on his way up there after he called (so he was sitting in the car as he called), and he couldn't get ahold of her. Finally she answered her cell, and it turned out she had gone out with a friend, and was getting a perm at that moment. So she missed the PT's visit entirely.*

OK let's calm down over the concept of a perm at a salon, when she continues to borrow money from us (because while that rankles, I don't want her to live a miserable life of not feeling pretty), and realize that she disappeared. She's being a naughty teenager, LOL. Getting friends to drive her places, not answering phones, not telling us plans...

And refusing to listen to me anymore, when right before this she was feeling OK with our relationship.

To make this all funny makes it better for our mental well-being.



*The PT's visit was sort of last minute, but that is how these things are done. Being on Home Health is because you are homebound, and you should be there. BUT they allow for doctor appts, church, and hair appointments...so she took advantage of that. But she's still supposed to be available, or let us know so we can tell them that she isn't going to be there!

She doesn't get the phone calls herself because she hangs up on people speaking English on the phone. So we *have to* be the ones fielding these calls. She just barely told us about one office calling because Robert questioned her, and only in that way did we remember she has a neurologist appt tomorrow (they somehow missed the concept that they are supposed to be calling me). The robocalls are the worst, and this office has such a service. She instantly hangs up on auto-calls, doesn't even give herself a chance to understand, and it was only because she got the initials of the place right that we figured it out.

 

[kaoden39]

As the mom of teenagers you have my sympathy for sure. She is acting like one and I am sure she was giggling about doing it.


I am so glad that you finally got a chance to talk to someone that can help you. It helps so much when you can talk to an impartial person. Especially a sympathetic one.


Let me see if I got this right, she left before her nurses appointment? And you told her this morning? Sounds like something one of my daughters might pull. The PT was a last minute sort of thing. But with her health issues she doesn't need to be gallivanting around town. Brat! Did R have any idea how to take care of her? Or did he do the typical dad type thing?

 

[bumbershoot]

The nurse was early in the morning, and that's rather last minute, too. Then the PT called us, but we didn't want to interrupt the nurse visit, so Robert waited to tell her. He thought she knew he was coming up. So while he was on his way he called to tell her that the PT would be there soon, but he couldn't get ahold of her. This, of course, freaked him out. He made sure he had her keys to the building and apartment, and kept on calling. Finally she answered her cell, and she was getting a perm (he's so funny, he thinks she hasn't had one in YEARS...she has hair loss and is Asian, but has a headful of fluffy CURLS? yeah, she gets perms, and regularly), and wasn't going to be there for a few hours. So we let the PT know, and Robert came home.

She spent over a week wishing that Robert would be home, that she could see him, etc etc, and now that he's here, and has taken the week off FOR her (which is helpful, because Eamon and I got sick sick sick, I feel like absolute junk right now and have decided I have the plague. or mumps. I'm kinda dramatic when I don't feel well), but she only wants to see him for half an hour, and wants to be on the phone with him for a minute...it's bewildering. He and I had a long conversation today, though, and I guess that's how she is normally with her kids; the desperate-to-see-him stuff must have been a crisis thing, and now that she feels she's out of crisis, she doesn't really want him there.

But he's got her today and tomorrow, because of an appt and he has to run around town and check on some things to make sure everything is going well with the "care" she's receiving from her buddies, with her finances, etc.

We've come to really GET that we can't force her to go anywhere. Her POA is really specific, and the laws make it nearly impossible for us to decide anything for her. The POA allows him to be a part of her finances before she's incompetent, but he can't decide on any living situations for her. So if this is the way it has to be, it's the way it has to be. It's like an 18 year old living at home and acting out. OK, you want to be that way, you're an adult, but don't expect money or excess amounts of empathy. Of course it's an 18 year old without a driver's license, LOL.


He just called, ooh she is clever. He was going up early to talk to her neighbors, her "care" providers who did great for exactly ONE day. She didn't want him to, but he was going to just go there to be really clear with them of WHY she needs this help (without her "snowing" behavior aka *lying*), how incredibly important it is that they do it and call us twice a day, that they have to WATCH her eat and take her pills not just believe that she "just" did it or "will" do it, and that $30 a month for this is far too low and if they are going to do it we have to establish a better price point.

He went almost an hour earlier than he told her he would be. And...she was waiting, ready, at the main door of the building. Foiled!

 

[kaoden39]

Okay so she can't be completely to blame.


The POA is set kind of hard. At least R can do the financial.



She is a crafty one isn't she? I think she knows her son and was ready to sabotage him in his finding anything out.

 

[bumbershoot]

No, she's not totally at fault for yesterday. We just want the communication to go both ways.

I have to say that the home health nurses are a bit unreasonable. They REALLY want the appointments to be in the morning, and get annoyed when they hear "she really is not a morning person", and think she's not taking it "seriously". I just don't understand that. I have no interest in someone coming by my house at 9am, either. It might not be early to you, but it is to me! And that's a lifelong trait of mine and of MIL's, which isn't going to magically change just because some nurse has woken up early all of her life.


Oh this plague-mumps is really bringing me down. If I'd been around mosquitoes I'd think there was a touch of West Nile in there as well.

Slightly dramatic when not feeling well.

 

[bumbershoot]

One of our first days, we went on Mater. During this time I was still wearing my PP+ lanyard around my neck, though I knew the card had a penchant for loosening itself and trying to get lost.

I was on Mater, focused on having fun and hoping E didn't smack the side with his face again, and wasn't paying attention to the lanyard.

I got off the ride, went into the exit "corral" if you want to call it that, and did my usual "check the lanyard" move. Only to find it empty of the proper PP+ card. It had the little card that lists where you can use it, but not the REAL card.

Ack! Ack! Ack! Irreplaceable! The pictures we'd had taken already, gone! Ack!!!!!!


So I told the guys and stayed in the exit area, asking the CMs if they had seen one of the cards. I paced back and forth in there, staring at the ground all over. If you've been on this ride, you know that you travel all over the area while on it. You're not just going in one little circle. I get the attention of the guy in the vehicle I *thought* had been mine, and he looked but found nothing. So their ride cycle starts, and I'm still pacing.

I was SO unhappy and felt so stupid...

I was starting to despair, and was getting ready to leave the area, dejected, when the ride ended and I noticed someone trying to get my attention. It was a wonderful, beautiful, no doubt the kindest person EVER, woman coming towards me with a PP+ card in her hand! Oh joy oh joy! They'd found it, picked it up, then noticed a freaked out woman pacing around, and put two and two together. Oh happy day! I nearly kissed her.

So that was the happy story.

Then there's a postscript in the form of Robert showing me the incredibly clear picture of PP+ card on his phone that he had taken immediately after the CM told us that we should take a picture. I had forgotten that moment entirely.

All that panic for nothing. Then again, the sheer joy of the later moment was fabulous, and probably made the panic worth it.