It's easier

I've been meaning to have a conversation with my dad about my mom's mental capacity for a long time. 

My brother's told me things. I pick up on what's going on with my mom when we talk on the phone. 

But I need to talk with my dad. 

Mom is retired and always home, so calling the house and having the conversation that way is next to impossible. Especially because they use the speaker phone all the time. 

He has a cellphone, but he works with table saws and other loud machines. For forty years, he's built cabinets that are installed in private jets. 

So calling him at work is difficult. And it's not the type of conversation I'd want to have if I was at work. 

So the easier thing to do is get on a plane, travel to Tucson, and see for myself what's going on. 

I happened to get lucky, and Stacie is going with me. She's a bad ass. She's a CDC trained epidemiologist who holds a Master's in Public Health. She also has personal experience with a family member who is in the later stages of dementia. 

So having her on this trip with me is invaluable. Not only because of my mom and what I've created in my head that is going on with her, but because I'll need the emotional support. 

And Stace has a wicked sense of humor.