Good morning…
After a really happy Valentine’s Day in Ohio with my parents, my siblings, our Norwegian exchange student and her young adult son, my mom’s cough spiked a fever of 102. Filled with doses of cough medicine and Tylenol, we tucked her into bed. Later, from the guest room in my parents’ villa, I heard the click, click, click of my mom’s walker as she went to the bathroom in the middle of the night. A bit later my father’s voice startled me awake just after 3:00 am on Saturday: “Susie, I need you. Your mom has fallen.”
My dad had gotten up to go to the bathroom himself, and he found my mom lying on the carpet beside their bed. We brainstormed about whether to call an emergency squad, but, as we checked her out, she seemed to have no places of pain. Together, we struggled to lift her back into bed, telling her to wake my dad for help of any kind. We tried to go back to sleep, thinking we would head to the Urgent Care when it opened at 9:00 am.
At around 8:00 am, I heard a loud noise then a whimpering. I rushed out of bed to find my mom on the carpeted floor again. She had tried to get up while my dad was showering. Again, we struggled her back into bed and, after consulting my sister, decided to call 911. The medics arrived quickly and very kindly whisked her away to the ER.
During our long day of waiting in the ER, we learned that my mom tested positive for RSV. She had no broken bones and no brain trauma, but she didn’t know her name and was not really communicating. My dad and I did witness her having a very ugly seizure. Finally, she got into a regular room around 7:00 pm that night. We got her settled, shared our love, and returned to their villa just before 9:00 pm. It was one long, unexpected Saturday.
We tried to sleep, but my dad got a call at 1:00 am saying that my mom had been transferred to the ICU due to difficulty breathing. Around 6:45 am, he received another call. My mom had had another seizure, so they intubated her.
Sunday’s very snowy trip to the ICU found my mom slightly sedated but unresponsive. Tests showed positive results. Ecko cardiogram was good. Kidney function, good. No fluid around the heart or lungs. Yet my mom was just not waking up. We whispered our love to her. I shared the love of my husband Steve and our kids, Kyler and Chandler, Tessa, Adrianna, Jeremiah. Visiting my mom in the ICU brought back bittersweet memories of almost losing her a few years back after a stroke and sepsis. Miraculously, back then, she opened her eyes at the sound of my dad’s voice, and she came back to us. Over the past three years, I have been privileged to witness my parents’ unique love story through compassionate, new eyes.
What an immense blessing.
I was supposed to fly home to Atlanta on Sunday night, but, due to the treacherous snow, my flight was delayed so I had an opportunity to change my flight free of charge. What a great gift. Throughout the day, we visited my mom, but still she did not wake up. We returned to the villa for another night of quiet quality time together.
Yesterday morning, I stayed home in the villa while my family went to the hospital. From 9:00 to 11:00 am, I savored the scheduled spiritual direction phone call with my longtime supervision group. “There is an ocean of grace and love and power lying all around us,” the facilitator began our reflective time, “an ocean where all of earthly life is but a drop. It is ready to transfigure us.”
Fortunately, it was my month to share, so I was able to share the long version of my current story. I was met with so much grace, so much love, so much power. By the end, one woman said, “I want to echo back two words from your description of your family’s journey. Gracious. Acceptance.”
I went to the ICU yesterday afternoon filled with a sense of gracious acceptance. I texted with friends, our immediate family, my classes and my co-workers, asking for prayers of gracious acceptance, accepting whatever plan God might orchestrate. My mom had an MRI done and was taken off sedation for a few hours, but still no response. No response at all. The nurse sedated her again before days’ end, connecting her to IV fluids and nutrition. Our family returned home to another relaxed evening together.
I pray that my mom is having a restful night. In gracious acceptance, I entrust her to God’s care. I really hope she opens her eyes today.
Your love is faithful, Lord, and even the clouds in the sky can depend on you. Your decisions are always fair. They are firm like mountains, deep like the sea, and all people and animals are under your care. Your love is a treasure, and everyone finds shelter in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 36:5-7, CEV).
…Sue…
