You all know my mom is 93 and has a boyfriend (MG) who is 90. They get along really great and are happy together. They normally spend a week at her place and then a week at his. I live 4 miles away from my mom's house, and 3 miles away from his. My mom has multiple health issues and she's blind in one eye. MG doesn't like to leave her alone because she's unsteady on her feet and uses a walker. He brings mom to all her appointments. He bristles if I ask him if he needs help. I try to take care of them. I make them homemade bread every other week or so and keep them in biscotti. (Recipe here.) They come to my place for dinner about every three weeks or so. I am fully aware that without MG I'd be my mom's personal chauffeur/assistant/personal shopper.
When he called me the other night at 3:09 in the morning I knew something was up.
Or down. MG had tripped on something and fallen and hurt himself badly. He'd not wanted to call 911 at 11 PM when he fell, but after being in pain for 4 hours, called 911 and they were getting ready to take him to the ER and could I come over and stay with my mom.
The answer, of course, was yes. Since I figured I'd be sleeping there for the rest of the night, I threw stuff into a bag and drove over.
When I walked in MG was on the bed and the EMT's were standing around. They hadn't believed he'd broken anything and felt that if he went to the ER he could wait hours before being seen. It was decided that he'd wait till morning. I could go back home. Urgent care opened at 7 AM, so I'd call MG when I woke up and then I'd bring him over. Then he got out his cell phone. "Your mother has some appointments this week and I won't be able to drive..." One appointment for each of the next three days. I entered them all in my phone and got the addresses.
So I went home and tried to get some sleep. When I woke up I gave him a call and then drove over.
He was in a lot of pain as we got him into the car.
When I wasn't reading as I waited I spent a lot of time texting M's daughter, my mom and my sister (since I'd be leaving in a few days and she'd need to pitch in while I was gone.)
After four or so hours he texted me from the exam room. He had broken his collarbone, and would be in a sling since that's a bone they can't set.
Long story short I haven't got much work done in the studio because I've been driving back and forth and to MG's house and my mom's ophthalmologist and cardiologist and pain specialist. (She's got another appointment next week too.)
I did spend a little bit of time sewing the binding on the Jewel Toned Macnas quilt, but that's it.
To add insult to injury, I was giving my sewing machine a dust out, which I normally do after I finish a quilt, and I did something wrong because when I put it all back together and gave it a test run it rattled, where it didn't rattle before. So my sewing machine will be going in for a checkup next week.
So no Quilty pictures to share. The backing for my DGD's no-batting quilt should arrive later today but that will have to wait until next week.
On the plus side...
A gal named Bethanne Nemesh (White Arbor Quilting) posted a quilt she is making with my birds on Facebook. You can go over and check her out. If you want to make birds, you can get the tutorial at my Etsy shop, here.
5 comments:
I am the medical appointment driver and companion for my 90 year old mother, also. She doesn't have a significant other (my dad died 10 years ago). Some months there are multiple appointments (and some the same week). But wonder of wonders, she is still working at the family owned business (when she isn't at a medical appointment). We are so fortunate to still have our mothers around, though, aren't we?
Keeping you, your mom and M in my thoughts as you negotiate this bump in the road. What a dedicated guy M is to have your mom’s appointments top of mind after falling and being in such pain.
I can commiserate with you. My mother is 93 and has Alzheimers. She lives with me & my husband as she's getting to the more advanced stages. Twice a week I take her to PT and once a week I take her to her standing hair appt. She's actually in pretty good health other than her mental state so there are only a few doctor appts. Last October she forgot we were at my sister's and missed returning to her bed after a bathroom break in the night. She too broke her collar bone. It is painful and slow healing at their age. It is difficult for me to get in sewing time other than hand sewing. I'm fortunate that my husband lets me "escape" monthly Jan-Oct for a 2-day sleep-in-my-own-bed retreat with friends. We just do what we have to do, right?
I took a class with Bethanne (quilting basics) - she is a world class long arm quilter. Not on FB but I'd love to see what she does with your birds! Best healing wishes to MG, patience for you (and your sister while you're away), and MG's daughter. Getting old is NOT easy.
Ah, real life rears its sometimes less lovely head. So many of us are having, or in my case have had, similar experiences. Remember to put your own oxygen mask on first, as they used to tell us on planes.
Ceci
Post a Comment