The week went by so fast. We had a good time, leaving was very hard. My mom doesn't want to do much. She wants to be at home most of the time. We took her to the "plaza" (downtown) where we can sit on the benches and enjoy the view and have some ice cream. We took her to the pier where she could eat some typical Puertorican food and again sit and enjoy the ocean view. She had complained that she didn't have anything to wear so we took her to the mall, we had to borrow a wheelchair because it is hard for her to walk that much, and bought her new clothes. It was hard to see her though, she has lost a bit of weight and has aged a bit since I last saw her. She doesn't have the energy to clean the house like she always did. Bronson and I helped sweep and mop. I cleaned the kitchen and Bronson took a whole day and cleaned the yard. The yard looked really good when he finished. Leaving was very difficult. On Friday while we were in San Juan my brother called and said my mom needed to go to the hospital. My brother and I took her to the hospital. When the nurse came to draw blood it was very painful for her because they can only do it on the right arm. Her right arm is already very bruised and it hurts a lot. Her left arm is permanently swollen because they were not supposed to draw blood from it and they did. My mom had a mastectomy on the left breast and because of that they can't draw blood from that side, about two months ago in the hospital she did not tell them (she forgets things) and they did, leaving it swollen. It was hard to hear her cry in pain when they pricked her, she looked very frail in the hospital bed. The whole week she kept asking me, "when are you leaving?" On Friday she asked me at around 7:00 PM (before the hospital called to say her room was ready) and I told her I was leaving that night, she then said she better say goodbye right then because she was going to bed. She did not seem sad or anything like that, she isn't really showing a whole lot of emotion, I am glad I did not want her sad. The hospital called not too long after she went to bed so I had to say goodbye again in the hospital, she was under the effect of sleeping medication so she just said goodbye. I on the other hand had to quickly go out of the room because I started to cry hard and did not want her to see me. It was sad to see her there, before the sleeping medicine worked she became anxious and just could not lay down. She gets really fidgety and can't calm down enough to sleep. I can't imagine having cancer and having to have transfusions all the time, knowing that it hurts and having a feeling of desperation and helplessness.
At my brother's house. 
Eating ice cream at the Plaza.
In front of a sand sculpture with my friend Taili, her mom and daughter Nani. I have known Taili since we were in kindergarten.
Nani and Brinley.
At the old firestation.
At the pier "La Guancha".
Brinley's Birthday.
With Taili.
My brother putting some 70's and 80's music. He has a great collection and is very well organized and labeled.
At the Castillo Serralles. We went to see the castle but it was closed. We went back the next day and took the tour. I have always wanted to see it. I grew up seing the castle from a distance but never took the tour, it was time.
The cruceta. We went up to the top and saw Ponce from up there, again I had never done that.
Butterfly garden at the castle.
The view from the Cruceta.
The view of Ponce from the Cruceta.
The Japanese garden at the Cruceta.
Conner and his cousin Gerard.
My brother Jose and Brinley.
On Cannonballs. Bronson, Brittany, Conner, Nani and her sister Leisha.
Inside the lighthouse.
Lighthouse.
Lighthouse.
That neighborhood past the El Morro is called La Perla, my grandparents lived there when my dad was born. My aunt told me that they lived in a duplex, their neighbor worked at the lighthouse and my grandpa worked for the US coastguard.
La Perla neighborhood.
On a cannon.
Old San Juan.
At the mall in San Juan called Plaza las Americas. My aunt Aida, my dad's sister and the only one of his siblings that is still living. She is 85 years old. My aunt and uncle have lunch there everyday and then go walking around the mall. They looked in pretty good health.
With my friend Mari. We grew up together in the same Ward in Ponce. She now lives in San Juan with her family. She took her lunch break and came to see me at the mall.
Four generations.
At the mall.
My niece, Ivette.
Conner watching movies.
At Boqueron beach.
Brinley's Birthday.
My niece Cristina, nephew Gerard, and my niece Ivette.
With Taili.
Cristina, Brittany and Nani.
My brother putting some 70's and 80's music. He has a great collection and is very well organized and labeled.
At the Castillo Serralles. We went to see the castle but it was closed. We went back the next day and took the tour. I have always wanted to see it. I grew up seing the castle from a distance but never took the tour, it was time.
The cruceta. We went up to the top and saw Ponce from up there, again I had never done that.
Butterfly garden at the castle. 
The garden in the back of the castle.
The view from the Cruceta.
The view of Ponce from the Cruceta.
The Japanese garden at the Cruceta.
Conner and his cousin Gerard.
My brother Jose and Brinley.
At the El Morro fort in San Juan.
On Cannonballs. Bronson, Brittany, Conner, Nani and her sister Leisha.
A garita or Sentry box.
There are many of these garita's through out the fort.
Inside the lighthouse.
Lighthouse.
Lighthouse.
That neighborhood past the El Morro is called La Perla, my grandparents lived there when my dad was born. My aunt told me that they lived in a duplex, their neighbor worked at the lighthouse and my grandpa worked for the US coastguard.
La Perla neighborhood.
On a cannon. 
A garita or Sentry box.
Old San Juan. 
At the mall in San Juan called Plaza las Americas. My aunt Aida, my dad's sister and the only one of his siblings that is still living. She is 85 years old. My aunt and uncle have lunch there everyday and then go walking around the mall. They looked in pretty good health.
With my friend Mari. We grew up together in the same Ward in Ponce. She now lives in San Juan with her family. She took her lunch break and came to see me at the mall.
