I hesitated calling this post ‘Turning a Corner’, as every time we thought that we were doing just that, something slammed us back to square one. As most you know from reading the previous post, I am referring to my mother’s hip injury that occurred on December 13.
The surgeon did in fact tell us that her hip had many fractures and broke prior to the fall. At least that relieved my guilt at not holding on to her every second and allowing her to fall.
I will spare you all of the details and myself the reliving of them, but frightening sudden set-backs took us through three emergency rooms and three different hospitals, each with their particular specialties. We’ve heard the words, ‘There is nothing more we can do.’
We’ve heard the rattles that predict pneumonia.
We’ve spent as much as entire day in an emergency room environment waiting for a bed to become available in a Trauma Center Hospital an hour away.
We’ve checked her into Skilled Nursing for rehab twice, having to be removed and sent to the ER during the first stay.
And all of this happened during the height of our area being hit with the flu, strep throat, whooping cough, intestinal viruses, and things I don’t even know if they figured out what they were. The hallways of all three triage centers were lined with gurneys holding the sick waiting for rooms that weren’t available.
I often felt as if I needed a Silkwood shower – the kind you get when you’ve been exposed to radiation. I would leave my clothes, inside out, in the garage upon returning home every evening. I have been taking vitamins, and besides a cold/cough, I have still managed to avoid being flattened by illness. Of course, just saying that means I likely will in the next few hours.
And of course, a major holiday occured during this time frame; one that caught me off guard. My mother and I were trying to finish her shopping, wrapping, and decorating when the fall happened. I suddenly woke up and realized that mine wasn’t done either.
I shopped online, staying up until the wee hours of one morning with a list and a credit card. It all arrived and I didn’t worry too much with the wrapping as I normally do. Most got shoved with a decent amount of tissue paper into decorative bags.
My family decided not to have Christmas until Mother came home. So we are still decked out for the holidays – the first time in memory that a tree has been up in my house past January 1.
Writing anything has been difficult. I’ve worked every day that I could, left there and drove to the hospital which depending on the particular one, was often more than an hour away. I would get home late, return phone calls from family, friends, church family, neighbors. Then I would fall into bed and get up and do it all again.
Laundry piled up.
Groceries I had purchased rotted in the refrigerator.
Eating on the road replaced my new-found addiction to a fitness app that I had started using to track my diet. I don’t even want to know what it would calculate as my sugar/fat/cholesterol/nutrition – or lack of/carbohydrate tally.
I have felt horrible, been exhausted, and canceled or retooled events I was suppose to host during the holidays. I must look like that too as people have been warning me that I need to take of myself and that I am doomed to get sick if I don’t get some rest.
Emails piled up. One day it was 500+, then 798, then more than 1000. I’ve missed facebook friends’ birthdays, invitations to be friends on goodreads, and some really great deals on medications from Canada. Yes friends, the spam sometimes gets through too. And then the emails become so vast they are overwhelming and I can’t look anymore.
I have missed reading the blogs of my ‘tribe’ – the fine people who are my writing and blogging friends. Most of the space in a hospital environment is gadget free. So even with the smart phone it has been difficult to check up on all of you.
I have read every single comment on my last post and want to tell you all that your support has been priceless. Thank you all.
So as I post this piece, I am hopeful that we have turned a corner, that my family will be celebrating Christmas by this time next week, and that means that Mother will be home and scooting around on her new hip – God willing.
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Oh, dear Renee, bless your heart. (I was thinking of you last night and wondering how things were.) Praying that your Mom has “turned the corner”, and that your life will return to some normalcy very soon.
You DO need to take care of yourself, too, you know…?
Please keep us posted as you can!
I am praying for you and your family right now. The Lord is with you every step of the way. Have a wonderful, blessed Christmas. – Maureen
Hey lady! Sorry I missed your last post. just got back on line myself. I hope it all works out but people are right to caution you to take care of yourself.. Who will take care of your mom if you are sick yourself? Please be careful. I know it is stressful but it’s important for you to get some rest also.. Know that I am thinking of you and that you are in my prayers.
I’ve done the hospital drill and it’s exhausting. I hope your mother is home soon. Merry Christmas!
Good Lord- Renee! What a nightmarish end for 2012! Hope and wish 2013 will bring you and your loved ones – ONLY- health and happiness! Karin
My thoughts are with you, Renee. 🙂
Renee, I am so sorry for your ordeal! And of course for your mother too, although likely, it has been easier on her than you. I have thought about you several times, wondering if your absence from blogging was a reflection of what happened to your mom. I’m so glad to know that she is better, and you are finding yourself again! I saw my mom go through much the same thing a year ago with my 90 year old grandmother. So hard to watch! So hard to stand by, mostly helpless, against age and a frail body! Blessings to you and your family, and most of all, your mom, as you start the year afresh. Enjoy your belated holidays! ~ Sheila
My stomach churned with personal memories as I read your post. I do hope you’ve turned a corner…and found a comfortable place to rest up after that long nightmare. Stay strong.
Merry Merry Christmas to you and your family Renee. Your Mom is a most wonderful, gracious and a Southern Lady exemplifed. Your family embodies all the charm that the South is so well known for. Here’s wishing your Christmas celebration is filled with joy!!!
Oh my, Renee. And here I thought that I had a bad holiday! Hang in there as best you can, I’m sure that there is a light at the end of this tunnel for you. What you say about your local hospital is worrying. This sort of situation is growing more commonplace. Watch over that Mom of yours and I’ll send prayers your way. Don’t worry about the internet, we will all be here when you can return.
Oh Honey, I just hope this turmoil has run itself out. What horrid stress for you and your Mom. I hope things settle down now and you can get back to living a normal life. My best wishes for your Mom’s speedy recovery from here on in!
When parents are sick or in recovery, you must do what you have to. You will never regret it. In the balance of things, the rotting food, the e-mail pile-up, etc. all pale next to having your mom’s presence on this earth. That is paramount and as her health recovers, you will be happy for it. Sending prayers.
Sorry to hear your mother is still in the hospital. Hopefully, she is over the hump and on her way to wellness. And yes, please try to take care of yourself. Hugs!
Renee, Takes a lot of strength and a good sense of humor to handle all that’s on your plate right now. But you do need to take care of yourself in any way that you can. Cat naps at the very least. Walks around the block, perhaps, while your mother is seeing the doctor. Anything you can do. Take care my friend, and we’ll still be here when you’re ready to come back. Merry Christmas. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that you get to celebrate it soon.
What scary and awful things to be going through. Hopefully your Mom will get to come home soon and you all can celebrate being together as a family and supporting each other through this time. I feel so sad for you. I know how worried sick you are. I pray you don’t catch any of the sicknesses that you’ve been exposed too. I hope your Mom is finally on a good road to recovery. My healing thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. (((healing hugs)))
Geez Louise! I can relate so much to this – to the onslaught of one more thing coming at you. I hope and pray you all get good news soon and that you don’t also collapse in sickness after all of the stress and anxiety of the past weeks.
Prayers to you for peace and healing!
MJ
Thanks for the update, but keep the focus on taking care of your mom … after all, readers are a patient flock in trying times.
Having read your last post, your blogging silence spoke volumes (I feared). Praying for you all Renee.
~d.
Hang in there. (and know you are in our prayers)
It sounds like my oldest surviving uncle – tripped on a carpet on the way to the gym to work out. It’s been several months and he’s on the mend. The medications depressed him a bit, so we had to wait that out. But he’s doing OK
So there is hope. As aFrank says – use what time you can spare to take care of yourself. We’ll wait. Hugs!
I will keep the prayers going! May God touch all of you in a special way this year.
Thinking of you and your family. Hugs.
Take care of yourself and thank you for the updates 🙂
Yowza! You’ve had a quite a month! Very scary. However, your writing is so beautifully poignant and genuine, that your readers surely all feel as thought they are right there with you. Hope you feel all the positive vibes. Raising elderly mothers is not for sissies! Wishing your mother renewed health, and you continued strength and several good nights of sleep!
Here’s to a better 2013.
Your priorities are in exactly the right place, Renee — except that you really do have to remember to take care of yourself. I hope the new year keeps getting better and better for you and your family.
Just stopped by to see how things were going.
Hope things have calmed down and you’re getting food and sleep (no response necessary)
Wishing your mother a speedy, full recovery as well as all your love ones stricken by the cold bugs. It’s starting to warm up a little in Houston but we still have case of mild flu and respiratory infections. Your family is so thoughtful to extend Christmas. That is truly what Christmas is all about. Take care.
I hope by now, as I’m so late in seeing this, that you have turned that corner. A hip injury sounds AWFUL. Such a pivotal joint (not meaning to pun). Really hope your mother is okay by now.