purplerabbit (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
purplerabbit) wrote2002-06-22 11:34 pm
purplerabbit) wrote2002-06-22 11:34 pm
(no subject)
I am sitting in my living room in California. Unfortunately, I have to return to Florida on Tuesday. I spent eight weeks taking care of my mother in Florida. I needed to come home for a break. I flew home a week ago but have to return this week to help my mother through another surgery.
So to fill you in: Mary was taken to the hospital by ambulance on April 20th. She had extreme pain in her spine and pelvic area. Blood tests, exrays, MRIs, CAT scans, ultrasounds, again and again and again. Within a week she was in the Coronary Care Unit on a respirator and dialysis. She had a severe steph infection, her liver and kidneys were no longer working, and her heart beat was irregular. At this point my sisters also arrived in Florida.
I have three younger sisters: Cassandra (a.k.a. Sandy or Sam) with her daughters Jessica and Jennifer. Elizabeth (a.k.a. Beth) with her daughter Fayra. Angela and her daughters Yvonne and Olivia. Sandy, Beth and Fayra drove out from Texas. Angela, her husband and kids flew out from Arizona. Sandy’s boyfriend and her two kids flew out later in the week. So there were eleven of us staying in Mom’s two bedroom apartment for a week. My sisters and I haven’t been in the same place at the same time since my wedding 14 years ago. To my delight we got along great this time. And we worked well together on Mom’s behalf. In other words, we drove the hospital staff crazy. By the end of the week we had a diagnosis of gallbladder disease, which they removed. My sisters then returned to their homes (all the time they could spare) and the next week Mom was moved to a rehab hospital. This despite the fact that she still had severe pain in her spine. I took two weeks of horrible pain while she tried to do the rehab exercises before we finally got a doctor who realized Mom was not getting better and who had an idea why. Mom had a spinal infection. So back to the hospital for more tests and lots of antibiotics. Then back to the rehab facility. Because it took them so long to figure out the spinal infection, her disk and part of the adjoining vertebra have been eaten away by the infection. So on July 1st, Mom will be undergoing back surgery.
During all this I had to pack everything my Mom owns and ship it out and put it in storage in California. (And pay the movers!) Mom had to be out of her place by the end of May. Then I stayed some of the time at the hospital and some of the time at my Aunt Dee and Uncle Jim’s house. Even with their help, it has been pretty lonely. I am usually too tired to really socialize. And I have never been away from Troy or Lon this long before. I really love living with them and miss them badly when away.
We are currently in the process of figuring out how to rearrange our house to fit two additional members of the household – my mom and my niece Alura (my cousin Tammy’s daughter). Alura has always been an amazing artist and has been accepted to the Art Institute in San Francisco. This is the place were they train animators who go on to work with Dreamworks and Lucas Films. Since she can’t afford to live in San Francisco, we agreed to have her live with us while she went to college there. We had always planned that my mom would live with us eventually – we just thought it would be a few more years.
Meanwhile, Tina has been denying visitation again and making life very difficult. Rowan is upset and so are we. Unfortunately, we have been calling lawyers and have still not been able to find one willing to take our case. We continue to look but are becoming pretty discouraged. If we had a ten thousand dollar retainer, we could get help.
How am I doing? Depressed, worried and exhausted. I am a little better after a week home with my sweeties. But Mom has gotten more depressed while I have been gone and I am worried that she isn’t getting proper care. Our finances and our house are a mess. I really want my life back, and I really want my mom to heal. I keep picturing all of us together, healthy and happy – Lon, Troy, Rowan, Mary, Alura and me!
I would love to hear from my friends. Send me email with notes about your lives. It helps to hear from you. Also, any magic/prayers you can send our way would be very welcome. Mary needs healing, I need strength and comfort, and our whole family could use some serious prosperity. Your well wishes would be very welcome.
So to fill you in: Mary was taken to the hospital by ambulance on April 20th. She had extreme pain in her spine and pelvic area. Blood tests, exrays, MRIs, CAT scans, ultrasounds, again and again and again. Within a week she was in the Coronary Care Unit on a respirator and dialysis. She had a severe steph infection, her liver and kidneys were no longer working, and her heart beat was irregular. At this point my sisters also arrived in Florida.
I have three younger sisters: Cassandra (a.k.a. Sandy or Sam) with her daughters Jessica and Jennifer. Elizabeth (a.k.a. Beth) with her daughter Fayra. Angela and her daughters Yvonne and Olivia. Sandy, Beth and Fayra drove out from Texas. Angela, her husband and kids flew out from Arizona. Sandy’s boyfriend and her two kids flew out later in the week. So there were eleven of us staying in Mom’s two bedroom apartment for a week. My sisters and I haven’t been in the same place at the same time since my wedding 14 years ago. To my delight we got along great this time. And we worked well together on Mom’s behalf. In other words, we drove the hospital staff crazy. By the end of the week we had a diagnosis of gallbladder disease, which they removed. My sisters then returned to their homes (all the time they could spare) and the next week Mom was moved to a rehab hospital. This despite the fact that she still had severe pain in her spine. I took two weeks of horrible pain while she tried to do the rehab exercises before we finally got a doctor who realized Mom was not getting better and who had an idea why. Mom had a spinal infection. So back to the hospital for more tests and lots of antibiotics. Then back to the rehab facility. Because it took them so long to figure out the spinal infection, her disk and part of the adjoining vertebra have been eaten away by the infection. So on July 1st, Mom will be undergoing back surgery.
During all this I had to pack everything my Mom owns and ship it out and put it in storage in California. (And pay the movers!) Mom had to be out of her place by the end of May. Then I stayed some of the time at the hospital and some of the time at my Aunt Dee and Uncle Jim’s house. Even with their help, it has been pretty lonely. I am usually too tired to really socialize. And I have never been away from Troy or Lon this long before. I really love living with them and miss them badly when away.
We are currently in the process of figuring out how to rearrange our house to fit two additional members of the household – my mom and my niece Alura (my cousin Tammy’s daughter). Alura has always been an amazing artist and has been accepted to the Art Institute in San Francisco. This is the place were they train animators who go on to work with Dreamworks and Lucas Films. Since she can’t afford to live in San Francisco, we agreed to have her live with us while she went to college there. We had always planned that my mom would live with us eventually – we just thought it would be a few more years.
Meanwhile, Tina has been denying visitation again and making life very difficult. Rowan is upset and so are we. Unfortunately, we have been calling lawyers and have still not been able to find one willing to take our case. We continue to look but are becoming pretty discouraged. If we had a ten thousand dollar retainer, we could get help.
How am I doing? Depressed, worried and exhausted. I am a little better after a week home with my sweeties. But Mom has gotten more depressed while I have been gone and I am worried that she isn’t getting proper care. Our finances and our house are a mess. I really want my life back, and I really want my mom to heal. I keep picturing all of us together, healthy and happy – Lon, Troy, Rowan, Mary, Alura and me!
I would love to hear from my friends. Send me email with notes about your lives. It helps to hear from you. Also, any magic/prayers you can send our way would be very welcome. Mary needs healing, I need strength and comfort, and our whole family could use some serious prosperity. Your well wishes would be very welcome.