I’ve been feeling especially grateful lately for the people I still have in my life. Recent events have put so much into perspective. Lately, it seemed I needed a bigger problem to make me see things differently. I’d been mourning the loss of a group of former friends when I got a call from my sister in Wisconsin. She told me that Mom wasn’t doing very well and that I should fly out as soon as possible.
I had just moved into a friend’s cottage on Exmoor for a writing retreat. I had to quickly arrange temporary lodging for our elderly cat, pack a small suitcase, and book my tickets. After a blur of planes, trains, buses, and taxis, I finally arrived in Green Bay. I went straight to the hospital to see Mom. She was waiting for a bed in Milwaukee, where the best cardiac team could work on her rapidly failing heart. I’m no heart surgeon, but even I could see the monitor fluctuating wildly. It was terrifying.
The next day, a team of surgeons put in a stent. The day after, another team put in a new valve. I spent two nights sleeping on a cot in her room to keep her company. She seemed much improved and was sent home after two days. I was incredibly relieved it had all gone so well, and the doctors said she’d feel a whole lot better now that her heart could work more effectively.
After breakfast, the night after we’d come home from the hospital, Mom said she wasn’t feeling so well. She put her head down on the table and said, just give me a minute and I’ll be fine. Then she went into convulsions, her head flew back, and her eyes rolled back. I called 911, hands shaking so much I had to dial twice. Thankfully, the fire department is just up the street, and they were here in a few minutes. Two strong, large medics picked her up, got her on the stretcher and off to the local emergency room. It was a Sunday, and once again, we were waiting for a bed to open up in Milwaukee.
She had three different heart teams, one team for the stent, one team for the valve, and another for the pacemaker, not to mention the specialist dentist and team who removed her teeth. Four intense surgeries in the space of a week. She is 83 and very unfit. She had four different teams of paramedics and numerous nurses as well. There must have been at least 60 different professionals working on her. We couldn’t keep track of their names, but we are so grateful to them all, for without them, she would not have survived. I’m marvelling at modern medicine.
This week, finally back at home after 16 days in the hospital, we are recuperating. (I’m exhausted too, and didn’t even have any surgeries!) My little sister flew in from Colorado to help. Mom has no appetite, which is not unusual in her condition, but for a woman who loves food and opened the first successful French restaurant in Tucson years ago, it is odd for us. She is of good cheer and even thought she could make it to a bridge game, but then thought better of it.
We had another scare when her physiotherapist said her blood pressure was too low, and we were back at the hospital for more tests. They have changed her medicines. Right now, I’m trying to get 70 grams of protein in her daily. No small task. She managed 32 grams yesterday, which was an improvement from 7 the day before.
Mom had met with her primary care physician, who bluntly told her that if she didn’t eat more protein, she would end up in a nursing home. She also said that Mom had been failing for some time now. She was supposed to have had that stent put in two years ago, but opted out. Now, she wants to live. I asked her why. What had changed? She said she didn’t know.
I’m just grateful she is alive and that she has chosen life. And I’m super grateful to the many professionals, doctors, dentists, nurses, paramedics, fire department, and helicopter pilots who enabled her to choose life. Thank you all so much!
I hope all the wonderful mothers out there (and especially mine!) had a lovely Mother’s Day and know how much you are appreciated and loved! We are so grateful for all of you!
