What a relief!

Man today has just been a great day. After Ruben got off work, we went to H&R Block to get our taxes done. Yeah I know, $200 or more to have your taxes done is ridiculous - especially when I USED to be an accountant, but it's nice not to have any other headaches than getting everything together that I need. Luckily I put together a worksheet of all my medical expenses, and that amoung other things really helped to pay off. Ruben and I were both shocked to learn we will be getting back more than $5300.
It's great now that everything is coming together. I'm feeling a lot better these days, but still worry excessively about my mom. Every since her specialist mentioned that she may be in liver failure, she has become quite depressed. I really wish there was something, anything, that I could do.
I would like to go beat some common sense into my brother, so he'd at least offer to get tested to see if he's a match. I just don't understand how you can live knowing that the woman who gave birth to you and housed you for 18 years may just die if she doesn't get a kidney. Even my own husband who's not flesh and blood offered to be tested. Some people I just don't get or understand, and I feel so aweful for both her and my dad. They just set themselves up for the retired life down in Mexico, and then this comes along and screws everything up.
But I still belief that which doesn't kill you, will only make you stronger - and everything happens for a reason. I'm not ready to lose my mom from this just yet, so I gotta believe that there will be a positive outcome to this somehow. I just wish she didn't have to go through it.
My family has been through enough problems in the last 5 years or so. And it seems that more and more it's all happening back to back. But Ruben and I promised each other that this year was going to be a better year, as we've determined bad things happen to us on odd years - someone gets cancer, or dies, etc. But now my mom has just blown that theory out of the water, even though WE are back on track to having a better year for ourselves.
I just hope the good vibes keep flowing our way for a while longer!
Here's a picture of 3 generations of strong women, when my mom was at UMC Hospital on 3/11/06. Thankfully she's out now, and will hopefully be on the road to a full recovery soon!