A Difficult Week

This has been a difficult week. My dad was admitted to the hospital again. This time with double pneumonia. The decision was made to fly him to Billings where he could get better medical care. My mom checked herself out of the rural hospital and followed my dad by car. When I heard that they were flying my dad out, I knew I need to be there, but didn't know how I was going to get there. My daughter, Amy, called. She is a nurse. She said she called work and she was going to take some time off so we could drive over in her car. I was overcome with gratefulness.

I was shocked when I caught my first glimpse of mom in the ICU waiting room. She looked so frail and so sick. They had her sitting in a wheelchair and hooked up to oxygen.  Everyone was waiting to be allowed into ICU to see Dad. We were finally told we could go in two at a time, and I was able to take my mom in. I pushed her wheelchair as close to his bed as possible and they grabbed each other's hands and just stared at each other for a few moments without saying anything, tears welling up in their eyes. The lump in my throat was huge. They were both so worried for each other. They each tried to reassure the other. Mom promised dad that she would go to the Emergency Room.

As soon as we left my dad, we wheeled her over to ER where we found out that my mom did not have pneumonia after all. She was having congestive heart failure. The ER doc said it was a good thing that she was there. Again, no words. We all sat stunned, not expecting to hear that. The very treatment my mom had been receiving in the rural hospital could have killed her. Thank you God for looking out for them both.

A week later, they are both still in the hospital, but my daughter and I had to head home. The realization that my parents cannot go back to living the way they were before is sinking in and that is hard for everyone.