What a day! and place your vote: question at the end

Today I'm emotionally exhausted. I've been chewed up and spit out. Run hard and put away wet. Any other idioms I've missed?

Today was a meeting at my mom's skilled nursing facility about whether she can stay or needs to be put in a permanent nursing home. Pleasant thought, huh? About 10 days ago the social worker called me and told me that the therapists thought she had just about reached a plateau that she'd never rise above. Funny, 'cause she'd been telling me about new skills she'd been gaining in therapy! So I told her to give her another week since she was now in a new room w/o a roommate where the lights were flipped on all night long so the nurse could work on both of them throughout the night and since she'd finally gotten some nutrition through a Boost (like Ensure or Carnation instant breakfast drink) since she didn't eat well. So they agreed: one more week.

So that was today. I was surprised to find out that even though there was a social worker, the head of nursing, administrator and who knows who else attending the meeting, the only opinion that counts is the therapists. I was told so by the administrator.

I asked for proof that she hasn't been getting better/stronger, asked what her goals were and if she helped set them. The therapist had gone to the meeting w/o any files at all! His word was all he showed up with! So the administrator went and got my mother's file.

The therapist told me that she did not help set the goals and I later found out that she hasn't even been *told* what the goals are. I asked him to please show her the goals so that she knows what she is supposed to be working toward. I also asked him if he kept records of all of her therapy days, marking improvements in strength. No, he didn't. And he ask "does it really make a difference if she is only doing 2 reps more every day at an exercise?" to which I responded with an absolute YES! Yes, it matters! It matters that when she was first admitted she needed 2 people to help pull her up and maneuver her body where it needed to be and then have her sit down and now she can pull herself up and stand for a minute and repeat that 4 times. Yes! It matters!

Anyway, he capitulated and gave her another week. He almost seemed resigned, like he was going against his better judgement. So I have to go do this all over again next week. Bozo.

So he is the judge, jury, and executioner. Wasn't that done away with in more intelligent cultures? Long live the King!

I think I need a massage and a long soak in the tub. But instead, I'm off to make dinner. Where is Alice when I need her?

Oh! I want to ask you a question before I sign off. I am trying to decide what to be when I grow up. I really want to go back to college, but I'm stumped as to what to go into. You all know me, at least my thoughts, pretty well, so I'd love to hear your opinion! Thanks in advance. :-)