This email update sent to friends and family on Jul 16, 2015, at 10:59 PM:
A lot can change in the blink of an eye.
Let’s say that eye is a 24-hour period of time.
Wow, have we had three of those blinks already.
Yesterday, mom was amazing. AMAZING! Her attitude & disposition….sassy humor that is on pointe…..it was all in check. We had a great day here at The House. We had visits from Chaplains and Pastor Friends (one of which came in just in the perfect time to help us with a spider extermination!). We had visits from Ebenezer Baptist friends…and Southside Baptist friends. My dad stopped by to check on all of us. Pattie brought me lunch, and the company of Reed and Lane. It was a good day. Mom’s awareness and clarity were off the charts. Her nurse was blown away by the turn around, and through tears in the late afternoon, told me that this is why she loves her job – to tell patients that they are doing exceedingly better than expected is a treat. There’s good medicine in PRAYER, and laughter. And in grandchildren. Just at the sound of Reed and Lane, mama lights up. Beams, really. Because mama was having such a good day, her pain medicine program didn’t really change any, and she didn’t have to have extra doses of pain relief in between the 6 hour schedule. I stayed with mama last night until around 11pm, when she was well on her way to a good, solid sleep.
Today was a different story. Mom slept well, however, she was more ‘sore’ all over, and that bugger of a hip was giving her fits. She calls them twitches. Whatever they are, they send her practically through the roof! Because of this, he medication load today was heavier. This afternoon, she was placed on a pain pump that administers a constant flow of pain meds. it’s a very low dose, but it is a constant level, instead of the big doses every six hours. And she had a lot of “extra help” with additional pain meds today, in preparation for being turned, re-positioned and bathed. Her anxiety set in, too, anticipating the necessary turning and cleaning ordeal. So today, she’s been loopy. Slept a lot. Eaten very little. This evening she’s been a bit more alert, since coming down off the heavy hitting meds, but also has had more sporadic pains. Dr. Shah’s hope is that tomorrow we can see mama leveling out and that we can find a happy medium of both awareness and pain relief happening at the same time. I am, too. That’s the specific prayer we need tonight. Pray for mama’s pain to be significantly decreased….so that she can stay alert and be “in this world”. Mama has expressed, even as late as this afternoon, that she doesn’t want to be so medicated she is “out of this world”. I am here to be her voice and ask all the questions and present all of mama’s desires, even when she is having difficulty stringing her words together. Please pray for clarity for her, and clarity for the medical staff who is first and foremost concerned with mom’s comfort. They do see how eagerly mom wants to stay alert.
Aunt Eloise – if you want to bring that bed table you bought last week, we could sure use another one in this room. Today I’ve occupied it most of the time, using it for my “rolling little desk”. 🙂 Mama is looking forward to seeing you this Saturday. She’s been telling everyone her sister is coming. Even Dr. Shah, but he will be off Saturday. One of mama’s favorite nurses will be here, though. Her name is Candy. She is really good with mama. And she looks forward to meeting you.
This place is amazing. We feel continually surrounded by love and in spite of all the pain mama’s been having, peace still wins. ShortStop is laying at my feet, and I am typing this from mama’s bedside. The boys are on the daybed, facing toward mama, reading and playing games. The crickets are loud outside tonight. The House is still. The hum of the AC units outside mama’s windows is actually soothing, a constant to hold onto, that hum. In a few minutes, we’ll be kissing her goodnight. She is in good care here. Praise the Lord for this place. This little corner of serenity, and understanding, and help.
All is good, because God is Great! Thank y’all for the continued prayers.
A few pictures from The House attached to this email.
Lane reads Nana the daily devotion from her bedside calendar. See her “Wall of Happy” just behind Lane? 🙂
Reed does a little reading in the sensory garden that is located just across from mama’s room.
The bird feeders and chairs on mama’s patio. Those French doors are usually open wide, but during the hottest part of the day, they are closed.
Mama’s bedside table, filled with love.
the toenail 