To Life!

What a week.  I was standing in my kitchen, Monday night, at the very beginning of my cooking preparations for one of Leah’s wedding events on Saturday night when my phone rang.  It was about 9 pm and as I went to answer, I noticed it was my mom.  The fact that it was a bit late for her to be calling me, registered, but I didn’t really think anything of it.  I answered the phone and she told me she wasn’t feeling well and she was thinking of going to the hospital.  Now, before I get any farther, I want to give you a spoiler alert, and tell you that my mom is fine. 

So back to the story.  After a back and forth of ambulance or car, which hospital and what did I think, I gathered up my stuff and headed toward mom.  I decided that since it was late, I would splurge and take Uber, a car service in the city.

It is a cool thing.  You submit a request for a car and it reads your GPS and dispatches one to you.  Just like Domino’s pizza delivery, you can watch the progress of the car as it makes its way to you.  A small, very normal SUV came to get me and whisk me off to mom’s.  Trip one of “Driving Miss Hannah.”

When I got to my mom’s she was ready and determined.  She had decided where we were going and how.  So I called for another car.  This one was the biggest thing I have ever seen.  I thought it was a Suburban but someone at work told me it was probably a Cadillac Escalade.  No matter, it was monstrous.  Bubbe (that’s my mom) took one look at it and said, I’m not getting in.  Oh yes you are, I thought, and I hoisted the poor woman in.  I ran to the other side and had to hoist my own self in.  Wow.  They should carry step stools, or ladders, or maybe a small crane lift.  As we drove, I noticed a whole second row of seating behind us.  This thing was like a minivan-sedan-SUV-bus thing ready for a party.  We arrived at the ER in style. Trip two of “Driving Miss Hannah.”

No doubt about it, you go into an ER complaining of chest pain and things happen quickly but then slow down.  She was poked, prodded, interviewed and tested and then we waited.  EKG, Xray, blood test, then we wait.  They wanted to admit her, then we waited.  At one point she said, either they have a bed or they don’t, what could be this hard?  That’s a tough one to argue. Especially at 2 am.

Even harder, was when she told me she didn’t want to be old, she wanted to be a person again.  It still tears me up now.  I wanted to wrap her up in my arms (which I did) and make it all okay (which I did not). Watching the aging process with my mom is … I’m not even sure what the end of that sentence is?  Most of the time I wonder, what happened to my mom?  My strong, willful, always in charge, slightly intimidating, mom?  I bet she wonders that too.

You often hear that kids become parents and parents the kids… but there is one big difference.  My mom is a full grown woman.  I can encourage, I can cajole, but I can’t force her to do anything if she doesn’t want to.  It definitely adds a twist.

So about 4 am we finally get to a room. But it was a good one.  An “intermediate care” room that was akin to a really, really nice hotel.  We’ll find out just how nice later that day when we get downgraded.

They took good care of her and I went home to try to catch a few hours sleep.  Uber to the rescue once again.  And here’s where it is really useful.  Imagine looking for a cab at 4 am. I like it.  Except I couldn’t get in.  Again. I know I’m short, but are all their cars super sized?  Trip three “Driving Miss Hannah.”

The next day we waited and we knitted.  Knat?  Beth and I sat and knit while they tested her some more.  We amused ourselves with the baby Docs, (a hospital can really make you feel old!).  Those, by the way, are doctors who are babies not ones who work on babies.  And we watched people all day long.  Hospitals are a cornucopia of diverse people.  The news was good from every test. 

About dinner time, mom was moved to a regular floor.  Read upgraded health wise, downgraded in comfort.  Welcome to the Motel 6.  Wow.  What a difference.  I mean WHAT A DIFFERENCE! And she now had a roommate.  Chatting from the minute we walked in.  I wasn’t too worried since Bub hadn’t slept for quite some time.  I figured she’d be down for the count and wouldn’t care if the whole floor talked to her .  Within minutes, the new roomie had taken total possession. Don’t worry, I won’t let her do this or that.  Luckily, I was right, Bub was sound asleep in minutes.

I go home and crash.

The next morning what a sight to see.  Her smile was ear to ear and she was certainly feeling better.  Her and her new bestie.  It was so cute.  When I came in, she was standing there in her hospital gown with her sweater tied around her shoulders like a pure preppy. She was adorable.  The two had bonded overnight and were chatting away like kids.  They went to the same GP practice, they knew people in common.  It was a small world on Floor 6.

Finally, the good word came and we were breaking out.  I know the roommate was sad.  This was the most fun I think she’d had in a while. We, however, were ecstatic.  We have a big weekend ahead and we need Bub at the top of her game.

She’s home now.  What seemed like a week was not even really a day and half.  The cycle of life continues.  I watch and worry over my mom even as I prepare to watch my first niece get married and head into the next phase of her life.  I cry over both of them.  Both are happy tears.  I am so thankful to have my mother still with me and I am incredibly proud of the young woman my niece has become.  We are of one family tree and I see the strong women my mother raised continued in the amazing women that are my nieces.  My nephews are not too shabby either. What a proud auntie I am.

So now, rested and healthy, we get ready to celebrate.  To life!