What did wake me up was Mom's groans of pain. Since she can't swallow we have to get up once every couple of hours to give her liquid morphine and in between she was coughing up a lung and groaning in pain and at one point she actually woke, was groaning, struggled to sit up and was calling "Help!" to whoever would listen. Those of us sleeping downstairs are a well-oiled machine. The moment Mom makes a noise or sits up or whatever immediately Dad, Kim and Lauri are up and there and Dad lifts Mom while Kim pulls out the potty chair and Lauri assists from behind as they help Mom sit and then she rubs her back while she sits there and it's pretty incredible to watch. The rest of us are either asleep or watching or, in my case, ducking so I'm not whacked in the head with the leg of a potty chair in Kim's haste to get it to the bedside.
Today was fairly calm. Or, at least, it was for when I was down here. Mom's pain has worsened and she's not able to talk much anymore due to not being able to swallow water. I spent most of the day up in the living room with a book in an attempt to escape the madness but every now and then I'd hear a cry from down here. She spent a good part of the morning in the wing chair propped up by pillows and tied loosely to the chair with a scarf so no one had to hold her up. She's gotten very weak, her legs barely hold her anymore. If she weren't so determined to get up to use the restroom we would probably be using a bedpan. But whenever she needs to go she tries to sit up and push herself out of the bed before Dad, Kim or Lauri stops her so i'm guessing a bedpan isn't really an option. Though we do have one.
For the third time this week I escaped the house. My introverted self can only stand this many people and little privacy for so long before I go crazy so I drove to Zanesville to order a new debit card to replace my poor worn out one. This was an amusing trip since the banker who helped me interrupted himself to admire my engagement ring, explaining he used to work in jewelry and that my ring was very pretty. Afterward I took myself over to Starbucks for a Caramel Apple Spice, the only hot drink I can have. My Lil, Laura, works there and I was hoping she was there today. She was! And she made my drink and told me it was on her. :-D Then, when I came home after a short trip to Walmart (where I only bought the two things I was sent for and nothing else! It's a miracle!) I found that Anne's future mother in-law was buying us Chinese take-out for dinner. What a marvelous way to end this day.
To finish, here is a photo of the Mountain of Comfort that suddenly grew in the foyer last week. Later on I will take a picture of our nightly slumber party so you can join in on the madness.
****me at June's wedding! In love with this pic!****
4 comments:
We have had three bats in this house! Trust me when I tell you, be glad you were asleep. It is the most frightening experience with an animal one can ever have. Blessings and prayers tonight, friend.
Emily thanks for sharing. I pray oftne for you all of you. WARNER
I completely understand your need to escape. We usually use our vacations to visit friends and after a few days of 10-15 of us being crammed in one house, I find myself searching for a room with no one else. I can't even imagine what it's like in your circumstance. And in winter when solitary walks are hard to come by... Prayers.
When we lived in Cambridge,I called a neighbor to help me get rid of a bat, and she did an admirable job...until she tried to flush it down the toilet!!! I'll leave the rest to your imagination and laughter. ;}
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