My mom is still in the diagnostic phase. The past two and a half weeks have been incredibly unpredictable, schedule-wise, with appointments at short notice, schedule changes, etc. Add to that the 3-3.5 hour round trip to the treatment center for each appointment, my own shock, stress, and exhaustion, renting an apartment closer to the treatment center, and coordinating move in. My work has suffered.

We had a treatment recommendation meeting this morning, but before that, I got a series of emails from work about them needed more notice when I'm not there, a new mandatory meeting that I must be at on Monday, my low billable hours for the month to date, etc. So twenty minutes before the meeting, I'm on the phone with my boss crying because he's complaining about my performance and how I need to register my work goals for the year by Tuesday. My goal is to make it through the next week, and I could care less about my work goals for the year. I qualify for FMLA, and I've talked to HR. I'll go ahead and enroll, with the plan of taking it intermittently when needed. But I'd really prefer not to use any of it, except for an emergency.

Will it get better once a course of treatment is selected? I'm assuming that I can arrange rides to treatment 3 days a week, and my sister and/or me will take her on two days with chemo and/or rad oncologist appointments. Being closer to the treatment center will make it much easier.

Any thoughts or suggestions? I'm so bummed out by my firm, especially since I was supposed to be on vacation this week and next! I didn't think that things could get worse.