Happy birthday Dorothy!!! Today was Dorothy's 73rd birthday! All in all, it was a good day for Mom. We had originally planned to spend this afternoon at Barona, but we had a bit of a mishap yesterday, and we thought it best to stay close to home.
Yesterday, Mom and I tried to do a little shopping and grab a bite to eat. We got to Macy's, only to have to get back in the car and go back to Magnolia so they could get a blood sample. Once they got the blood, Mom wanted to go to Coco's. We got there and she ended up taking a very hard fall in the restroom. So hard, I was sure she broke her collar bone or dislocated her shoulder. She was screaming at me and every time I tried to touch her, she screamed. So, we called the paramedics and got her to the hospital. After an x-ray and a CT scan, no broken bones, no brain injury...Just a skin tear on her elbow with a bruise, a small bump and bruise on her head, and very, very sore. Thank goodness.
It is so hard, because Mom does not know what she can and can't do. She is just not capable of determining what she is now able to do, and not to do. She was very hungry yesterday when we left the hospital, so she was feeling good enough to stop for dinner, and she had a glass of wine with dinner. She mentioned this to her nurse today, and added that she had been given 2 Vicodin at the hospital, and her nurse said that it was not a good idea to mix the wine and the pain killers. Her response was "it's ok, Aimee was driving." When we burst out laughing, she was very confused as to why we found that so humorous. I had to explain that she couldn't drive anymore...Her eyes got wide and she said "oh, that's right..."
She got quite a few visitors the past few days, lots of wonderful cards, and some great gifts! She got the super cute pink hat she has on in the picture from our friend Paula, and a really cute coral color jacket from my Aunt and Uncle, and I got her some chocolate, yellow roses (her favorite), and I picked some gardenias from her bush at her house, and found a cute little glass swan vase for them. I spent most of the day down there with her, making her coffee, letting her smoke, and after her dinner (cabbage rolls! Another favorite!), some chocolate cake that I brought. She thanked me for making it a nice day for her.
It was actually a rough day for us both. One year ago today, I knew something was wrong with Dad. He had been having problems on and off for the two weeks prior, but Mom didn't want to worry me, so she didn't mention anything. Until her birthday, when she called me in the afternoon to tell me she had some concerns because Dad had forgotten her birthday. So, one year ago today, my Dad was sitting at his computer, checking his email, making my Mom a birthday card. And we talked that evening at length about all the signs that were weird, and decided to call the doctor first thing Monday morning, which he did. It forces me to reflect on all that has happened in such a short time. Mom was thinking about it too...Her first birthday without Dad. She wondered what he would have gotten for her, and where they would have gone to dinner.
This month will be tough for us both...First, we hit Mom's birthday, and the day I learned something was really wrong. Then we have the trip to the ER and the diagnosis on June 11th, then the surgery on the 13th, then my first Father's day without him on the 21st, and my birthday on the 26th.
It does allow me to take inventory of the blessings that surround us all, especially with the current economic climate. I am truly grateful to have a good job, great family, amazing friends and many, many tiny daily blessings, that make life not only worth living, but overwhelmingly beautiful.
So, although this weekend did not go exactly as planned, it wound up being pretty good.:)
Much love.
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