A Sad Anniversary
Yesterday was the 1-year anniversary of when mom left our house for the final time. To me, mom was acting strange early that morning but to the average person who hadn’t lived with her 24/7 for the previous 2 1 /2 years probably wouldn’t have noticed anything. After calling 911 and mom wooing the paramedics with her persuasiveness & charm, they said they couldn’t do anything further because of her refusal to go to the hospital. After consulting my family, "talking" with my dad in heaven, and being at an internal crossroads about what to do, I took it upon myself to act further. At this point mom was in the bathroom, and the only way the medics would take her is if she was on the gurney. All by myself, I physically lifted mom off of the toilet, turned 180* degrees with her, and walked her into the kitchen where the stretcher was set up. To this day, I still don’t know where that strength came from but I knew this was the only way mom would be safe. She wasn’t happy with me, but my gut told me this is what I needed to do. Later that evening, we found out that mom had a UTI along with a triple bone infection, among other things. After getting some fluids and her initial meds, the doctor came in the room. He told mom she wouldn’t have survived that night if she hadn’t come to the hospital when she did. This was not the first scary occurrence like this and it wasn’t the last. And over the next 3 ½ months, I spent atleast 18 hours a day with her during in the many places she was healing in. We laughed, cried, sang, made crafts, took naps (ask any of my mom’s nurses how loud I would scream when I would get startled when they came in the room while I was sleeping by sitting up straight in those super uncomfortable chairs), told jokes, wrote out cards, smiled, danced, played games…eerily similar to the types of things that everyone is now doing because they are being forced to quarantine at home. We kept one another company. The point of this post is to help anyone who may have a loved one in the hospital right now by letting them know that people are loving and praying for you; I truly cannot imagine how difficult it is for you and your loved ones during this time. Stay strong! I know how difficult it is for me not being able to visit my 95-year old grandma on a regular basis and “gossip” with her…but we all must stay safe! And now as I begin my journalism career, it will be my even greater goal to always show basic human kindness with everyone I meet. Sorry for the long post, but maybe this message will help one person who reads it. 🙏💛💜
And now as Mother's Day approaches, I am a bit extra sad because mom and I talked about all of the grand plans this Mother's Day would include after having to spend last Mother's Day in the hospital when this selfie was taken. I know she's in such a wonderful place right now, and am thankful for photographic memories like this one because even though she was in the hospital, she still encouraged me to be happy just as dad did too when he was sick. 💐👨⚕️👩⚕️
