Take 2

Mom was admitted to Mary Free Bed Tuesday. I was a bit nervous at first. I’ve been with her everyday since the fall. With Covid, there is a zero visitor policy on the Subacute rehab floor. I keep reminding myself it’s only temporary and have been able to talk and FaceTime her.

Today I called her while I was at work and she couldn’t make a sentence. Sound was coming out but no words were to be had. I’ve never dealt this closely to someone with a brain injury, but in my gut I knew this wasn’t right. I hung up and sat for a minute.

Many of you probably don’t know but mom had a stroke last spring. We can’t pinpoint the exact time that it happened but it did. She’s been to the neurologist. We know the risks, we know the symptoms and we know better than to just sit back and let changes go un checked.

I called Mary Free Bed and expressed my concern. I was very kind and patient the first 3 times I called, and then this wheel got a bit squeaky. I will never regret or apologize for being an advocate for my mom. After they had their doctor do an evaluation they agreed. She was going to be transferred back to Metro. There I was once again, driving the same route, calling the same people and praying the same prayer.

There I sat in the Emergency room in the same damn chair I sat in last Friday. I beat the ambulance by 15 minutes at least. The security guards were a bit off their game, I had to tap on the glass window to remind them of my presence. Unfortunately my buddy, security guard Joe wasn’t working tonight. I don’t know how long she was there before I went back but I do know that when I walked in my heart sank.

I walked into an empty room. The bed was gone. Her sweatshirt was wadded up on a chair. There on the counter was a box. A big green tackle box. In big bold letters it said ACCUTE ISCHEMIC STROKE CLOT BOX….I assumed she was down getting another CT scan as I sat there once again with that uncontrollable feeling in my stomach. The kind that makes your throat swell and limbs tingle.

They brought her back from CT and right away said that the CT looked the same as in the beginning of the week. No new bleeding. They didn’t think it was a stroke. Hallelujah. After a lot of tests they found out that she had a UTI. Apparently a decent one at that. They started her on an IV and released her back to Mary Free Bed.

That was great news. She was actually excited to get back. She is enjoying herself there. We know she loves people, and there she is getting a lot of interaction and great care. They actually let me drive her back. It felt like a jail break. We swung through a drive through, feeling like Thelma and Louise. I had my mom again, even if it was temporary.

She is safe and sound. Hopefully sleeping peacefully as I type. Thank you everyone for all of the love that you have been surrounding us with. We feel it. Now if we can have an uneventful next few days that would be great.