I'm Going to Complain Now....You Might Want to Run from this Post

Be forewarned....I'm complaining...Run Away....Run Away

Last night we got a call that mother had had "a spell." Her blood pressure went up and she was dizzy and fell. She wasn't hurt and Laura, the nursing director, called us and stayed with her until a sitter could come to stay the night. Laura couldn't go into too many details with mother staring her down while she was talking, so I got up this morning and, after checking in at the office, made the hour drive over the Green Grove to be sure that everything was OK.

I checked in with Laura first and she had a BIG ol' tale for me. Mother is having inner ear problems and is feeling poorly with a urinary track issue. It stands to reason that the inner ear is what is causing the dizziness and heaven knows that urinary track problems can make you feel like you've been hit by a Mack Truck. All very manageable, though. Tylenol, lots of water, an antibiotic, and in a couple of days life is good again. Cool beans!

While Laura was trying to talk to mother; however, mother started to cry her eyes out and talk nonsense about how she was "going to die now and is a terrible mother because she gave her child (she's talking about Ned unless there is some other child that I'm unaware of) away and now it's Christmas and they are apart (he lives across the street) and what kind of mother abandons her child and then dies!!!!" In short, Laura believes that the blood pressure spike was a panic attack. After mother cried for about 45 minutes she seemed to have some of that out of her system.

Way to spread sunshine, mother....WAY to spread sunshine!

So, I went on down the hall to check on things and mother was still in the bed, which is fine. She informed me that she is sick because she is allergic to her NIGHTGOWN!!!! Now tell me, how in the blue blazes might a reasonable person respond to that one? All I could do is suggest that she change into another nightgown...perhaps one that has never given her any trouble.

I left her resting in the capable hands of the nursing staff, armed with Ativan in case she goes over the edge again.

Here's the thing...I know that she probably IS a little blue that she and Ned aren't back at home all cozy and snug. Ned; however, is NOT sad. Laura said that as she walked out of mother's room last night, Ned, Scott, and Mr. Herman were walking down the hallway headed back across the street after attending a Christmas program. They were laughing and cutting up and Ned walked right by mother's room without a second glance. Bless his heart, he's tasted sweet freedom and he LIKES it. We let him decide when he wants to go over to visit with her and he's gradually gone from visiting every day to just going on Sunday afternoon and one other afternoon during the week. I doubt if that makes her very happy either.

Mother is going to be a PIECE of work between now and Christmas. I just have a bad feeling about it. Pray for us, friends. My way of coping is to lapse into a state of wanting to control everybody and everything and that's NO good (well, it WOULD be good if people would just cooperate with me, but......).