I need a bigger fire extinguisher

I have often said that my life feels like a constant battle of putting out one fire just for another to crop right up. Well, these days, that theme keeps playing out over and over. So, last we knew, both my apartments were re-rented after 2 broken leases within just a few months of each other and I went right into my father going into the ER the exact day our new tenant moved in. Here we are, just over 3 weeks later. I had to fight to get my father moved to the hospital near me for better care. It was one hell of a battle. The doctors and staff at the first hospital were screwing up like crazy, even going back and forth telling him he had kidney cancer, he didn't, he might, he definitely didn't, and he probably does. ARE YOU KIDDING ME HERE???  As it turns out, he has squamous cell lung cancer. The freaking kidney doctor told him it was encapsulated and operable. A few days later, the oncologist came back after his own hernia surgery and told him it was incurable and would be treated with chemo or radiation. HUH?  But, they still don't know what the deal is with the kidney and bone lesion. He either has renal cancer and lung cancer, or lung cancer that spread to the kidney and bone. Maybe.

On Friday, the 15th, I finally got him to Hackensack. I got the best doctors on his case and they came in on Monday to make a plan. They did a biopsy of his kidney and the spot on his lumbar spine the following day and I finally got him home the day after that, after 19 days of pure torture. He was playing 18 holes of golf just a few weeks before this happened. He is now so weak he is using a walker. He's also devastated and depressed. My mom's memory issues are worse than ever with the stress and we took her car keys from her, something that should have been done 5 years ago. So, on top of what my dad is going through, my mother is fighting with him.

I stayed at my parents for a few days to take care of them and do some cooking and cleaning up around there. I came home last Friday night and decided to take in our high school football game the next afternoon to try to relax. Our new tenant is a guidance counselor and asst. football coach at the high school. As I am walking into the game, I get a text from our downstairs tenant. There is a dog wailing and screaming in the other apartment. Apparently, new tenant doesn't give a crap about our rules, his parents come out to visit from Long Island and leave their dog in the apartment. I go home, get the keys and a leash, get the dog out to stop whatever peeing and damage it might be doing, and evict the tenant. He calls a few hours later when he gets the messages I left, furious at ME for opening his apartment door. I tell him, don't you dare turn this around on me. He claims (LIES) that his parents dropped the dog off without his knowledge. I call bullshit and tell him he's out by the 30th. His family causes a huge scene in front of my rental, which has my other tenant petrified and about to call the cops. Then he and his friend or brother come to my house and cause another scene here. I tell him there is nothing to talk about, pack your shit and GET OUT.  I am done taking shit from tenants. JUST DONE.

On top of this, for the first time, Tim's numbers did not go down from his Velcade cycle. So, I am worried sick about that. Then, we had to drive down to Liv's college to tell her in person about my dad because we were supposed to take a trip to Vermont in 3 weeks to visit her buddy at UVM, like we did last year, and I had to tell her it might be off. Of course, with all the stress, my IBS is insane and I am constantly running to the bathroom or unable to eat if I have to go anywhere. In two days, I go with my dad to the kidney surgeon and find out the results from the biopsies. My dad is beside himself with fear and grief. I don't know what to do with my mother. We do not want her in the room with us. She cannot be left alone in a waiting room. She could get up and leave. She will be furious if we leave her home.

Honestly, it's all just too much. We have not found a new employee for Tim's business. Interviewed one kid and after asking Liv if she knew him, found out he was a druggie.

Basically, there are worries in every single sector of our lives, BIG ones. I've just had it. Tim was hopped up on dex on Saturday when this whole scene happened with the tenant and was ready to get in a fist fight with him. I had to force him to leave before the tenant got back there. Luckily, he had something he had to do for work right then, because when he came home later and found out what happened, well, I know we'd be looking at an assault charge right now if he'd been there.

Frankly, I just want to run away. :o(

I CAN'T EVEN..................................

In the last 4 months, I turned over both apartments in our 2-family, both due to broken leases. Buying a 2 family home for a future investment seemed like a good idea at the time. Not sure it was and Tim being diagnosed with MM 13 days later???? Um, yeah, not such a good idea, for sure. I've had tons of turnover. Luckily, we made this place beautiful so both apartments rent fast, BUT, I'm sick of all the work and stress of it. So, I turn over the big one the week we are moving Liv back home from college and turn over the 2nd floor one a day after we moved her back last week. The guy moved in on Saturday, after Tim and I put some finishing touches on the place. Then, we showered and ran back down to Monmouth University to see the first football game in the new stadium. Liv works for the athletic department and was selling programs when we got there. Halfway through the game, I had to go to our truck and lie down. I didn't feel well. Coulda been the hot dog, could be the recent adjustment in blood pressure meds, could be all the stress I've been under lately. Who knows. After the game, we drop off a few things in Liv's dorm room and hit the road about 7:30 in the rain. We are just exhausted, hungry, and I just want to go to bed. My cell rings. It's my dad, asking where we are. I tell him, "on the parkway." He says, "what exit" and I know something is wrong. I ask what's going on and he tells me he thinks he's got a kidney stone and is having my mom drive him to the hospital. We change our route and go out toward their area and find the hospital. So, what looked like a kidney stone or UTI, turns out to be advanced kidney cancer. The man was just playing golf a few weeks ago. They see a mass on his lung and some questionable areas on his bones. His left kidney needs to be removed.

I cannot even tell you all that's happened since then. But, I am bereft. My mom has moderate dementia and needs care also and is so afraid and confused. AND, they decided to do a lung biopsy before the kidney surgery and caused a pneumothorax that now has a chest tube in his side and rendered him unfit for surgery. They did not need this biopsy done prior to the kidney removal but, they did it anyway and now my dad is too compromised to get this kidney out. I am petrified of him getting pneumonia or a blood clot. He has been immobile for a week now.

He just re-did their wills and health care proxies and such, appointing me the caretaker of it all because my older sister moved out of state.

I CAN'T EVEN........................................