06-02-23 Mom Bad Day
I was grateful that Rae picked me up and brought me to my car so that I was at Safeway by 8:30 to get Mom’s prescriptions in anticipation of taking her home to her apartment by 10. First negative was that the pharmacy didn’t open until 9 so I wandered and picked up some items for the day, salad, fruit etc. And a Gatorade as I was feeling the scotch effect of the night before. Second negative was that when the pharmacy opened at 9, her prescriptions weren’t ready yet so I went and bought a coffee and a scratch ticket and sat with the gambling guys in the corner They were pretty funny to hang with, a bunch of old men Keno players who were pleased that ‘the young lady’ had joined them. I finally got the drugs and headed to Green Home to pick up Mom. Her cousin Donna and Brother Lawrence were to meet us at Joseph Creek, her independent living home. As soon as I walked in the woman at the door asked me if Barb was still there as she hadn’t come down for breakfast. This worried me and then I went to her room and saw her. She was fragile, pale almost ashen, and had the lost look in her eyes back. I told the nurse that I wasn’t convinced she should be leaving but apparently she had to as she had been released. I also found out she had fallen last night bending to do up her shoe and hurt her elbow. I watched her struggle to stand and move forward with her walker. Everything in me was afraid. She could barely get herself in my car when she had practically hopped in when I took her to her appointment on May 18th. On the drive to her place I tried to find out what was going on but she just said she hadn’t been sleeping the last four nights and woke up at 4 this morning. I knew in my gut that wasn’t the whole story. Her cognitive skills were off and she lacked sparkle and wit. We got to Joseph Creek and I dropped her and all her stuff at the door and went to park the car while Donna and Lawrence escorted her in. When I entered the building she was laying on the tile floor and the admin lady had a horrified look on her face. It seems she had approached Mom and given her a hug but when she let go, didn’t ensure Mom as steady and she fell backwards. Donna tried to catch her but couldn’t. I nearly lost my shit but stayed calm, told them to call an ambulance and insisted she go to the hospital for X-Rays. I them walked out to the sidewalk and tried to call Greg and Rae-Anne. Neither of them answered and I just stood there and cried for a bit. Ultimately, the ambulance came and Donna and I met them at the hospital. The paramedics were so kind and calm and cheerful. I was very grateful to them. The entire day was spent testing and testing and testing. This time her crack is around the peg that goes into the femur. Still no surgery necessary but she is in some pain. The bigger worry was the cognitive disconnect and weakness that is causing her to fall twice in 12 hours. Turned out to be a stupid UTI again. I watched her blood pressure drop consistently all day and that is a sure indicator as well as the lack of appetite, drowsiness, dizziness and thought issues. When we finally got her up to a room just before 7 pm, she asked me where in Surrey she was, a place she moved away from last October. She is now staying in hospital again until this passes and she is safe to go home. Hopefully she will be safe to go home as she can’t even be in assisted living unless she can get herself out of her apartment quickly in the event of an emergency as they only have one staff member on at night, I was told. The option would be long term care, either in the building attached to hers or back at Green Home. My heart hurts at the thought of that for her but my heart and mind and soul feel a lot drained dealing with all of her things for the last 2.5 months. I did have a wee breakdown in the arms of her friend Morline at Joseph Creek. It was like the best Grandma hug ever. I stayed at the hospital until 8 when I was able to talk to her night nurse that had just come on shift and ensure that I am to be called if anything comes up or she is stressed. Once home I had the leftovers that I stopped at the office to pick up and just started watching Barry.. something mindless and distracting. I did have a lovely gift in my mail, those UK Besties really are so thoughtful. I am sure I am the only one around who has such a special souvenir.
When Greg was able to call me back he was at the airport making his way to Kodiak, Alaska as Weston Fields had died last week. He was a good friend to my Dad. I was blessed to have met him and enjoyed great conversations with him. He also was a person of great academic stature who got down on the carpet and gave horsey rides to my two young kids at the time. He has left a great mark and deep hole in the world. I wish I had found out other than by accident but I guess Greg may not have thought past his own sadness and was busy making plans to get there to be a pall bearer. He will be out of reach until he is back on Sunday.
this was on a pole in the hospital parking lot… I sure as Fuck am
triumphgal 