Tuesday, July 25th, my mother had to be at the hospital at 5:30 in the morning for surgery on her back – ouchy! What was painful for me was waking up at 3:30 to get myself ready for a very long day and get over to my mother’s house by 5:00. I was having a slow-moving morning at 3:30, my body was protesting this early stimulation of having to move and get going. I did make it to my mother’s place by like 5:05 and then we were off! The hospital is pretty close – in the same town where she lives, so it wasn’t a long drive there. She checked in and we were escorted – along with another couple – by the candy-striper up to the second floor. As we stepped off the elevator the candy-striper stopped the four of us and like the good tour guide that she was said, “This is where we stop and the folks having surgery will go this way,” she pointed to her left (our right). “and the folks not having surgery will have a seat over there.” she pointed to her right (our left). The candy striper then instructed us, who were not having surgery, to take all the belongings from those having surgery. After about two mintues of taking off jewlery and figuring what needed to go and what needed to stay, the surgeriers (made-up word) followed the candy striper into the locked ward of prepness (another made-up word). The guide slash candy striper stopped and looked back to give us one more bit of information, “You could be here anywhere from ten to thirty minutes waiting.” and off they went. I looked over at the husband and he looked over at me and said, “Well, I guess we wait.” I replyed, “I guess so.” We walked over to the deserted waiting area – it is huge! We were the only two there, and most of the lights were off except one lone light over our little sitting area – of course we choose to sit there! Sitting in the dark might not be too much fun… or might put us to sleep. The husband and I chatted a bit, I learned that his wife was having knee replacement surgery and he learned that my mother was having back surgery. It was time to open the People magazine and start reading! The husband got ahold of the morning paper and was enjoying that. A nurse came out and called him back, she looked at me and said, “Are you Norma’s daughter?” I looked around like “duh… yeah.” but felt that was not appropriate and simply smiled and said that I was. The nurse assured me it would be just a few more minutes and they would come get me. Back to the magazine…

Finally I was fetched by a nurse and led into the tiny prep room where they seemed to be holding my mother until the doctor arrived. She was all set to go with her IV in place (successful on the second poke!) and her little blue beanie hat atop her head. They had placed a few of those yummy warm blankets over her body and she looked snug. The wait from that point was long and dull, nothing really to talk about and nothing to look at. I read some of the magazine between long intervals of yawning. I finally had to go to the bathroom – and wouldn’t you know that was the exact time they came to wheel her into the operating room! I was just washing my hands when the nurse banged on the door yelling, “They are taking her now!” The urgent sound in her voice told me they couldn’t wait half a second while I dried my hands. I grabbed a paper towel and pretty much ran out of the bathroom. There everyone was looking at me, waiting for me to say… what? I had no idea what to say. The akwardness of the whole situation was intense, and the only thing I could get out was, “Well, okay. I’ll see you later….okay….bye….alright….” and no one moved. I figured I wasn’t saying the “key” words to get everything rolling down to the operating room. I waited in slience for a second and then they started moving again. I couldn’t help but to think, “They rushed me out of the bathroom for this?” I could have washed my hands a few times and still had time to come out to tell my mother I’d see her later. Finally, a little more than two hours after arriving at the hospital, my mother was off and soon her back will feel a lot better!

It was just about seven hours after arriving to the hospital when my mother was wheeled, sleepy, out of recovery and into her room, where she would spend the next two days in a really doped-up state. Every time I walked in she was either in bed with her head back and mouth open, asleep, or sitting in the chair – head back, mouth open and asleep. Yesterday, July 27th, was her first day of alertness. Although, when I walked into her room she was sitting in the chair, head back, mouth open and asleep! I looked over to Scott (he and Sammy come in with me each morning to say, “hello” and then leave) and said, “Nope, she never changes.” She opened her eyes and seemed to be alert and doing pretty good. She complained of being in the chair all morning, so I called the nurse to come and help her back into bed. As soon as the CNA arrived and called for help my mother changed her mind and wanted to stay in the chair – until lunch was over… We now know what is more important – Pain vs Food… Yeah, food is the winner here. Although, the little IV button connected to the pain medication was pushed so that she could indure the pain and eat lunch. After lunch she wanted back in bed and it was soon thereafter the PT (physical thearapist) walked in and asked her to get up and go for a short walk. The timing was almost comical.

Back in bed and sleepy from the exercise, full belly, and more exercise. Her doctor came in and seemed shocked that all her tubes (IV, catheter, drain) were still in. He said strongly, “They should have been pulled at nine this morning!” The nurses – who hadn’t been in to check on my mother the entire time I had been there – jumped to it and started removing things. The doctor said my mother would be moved to the Rehab Unit for the next week or so. It was interesting to watch the nurses running around getting everything ready for the transfer. I packed my computer away and got myself all ready for the big move and then I waited….and waited…and waited… Finally I realized it wasn’t going to happen any time soon and pulled my computer back out. My Aunt Marian, who had gone through surgery herself not too long ago, came for a visit and enjoyed being the visitor rather than the patient. I went to the bathroom and on my way back down the hall one of her nurses said to me, “Oh, they are moving her right now!” It’s the curse of the bathroom! I got back to her room and everyone was in there getting everything that belonged to her and moving on out! I grabbed my computer, threw it into my bag, and off we went! Things in the hospital either move slower than a snail or faster than lighting!

My mother is now resting in the Rehab Unit and chowing on some gnarly-smelling hospital food (yuck!). She’ll be here for like another week – oh boy! Then it’s home to my house where she’ll stay until she can care for herself without assistance. It will be good for her to stay here a while longer – the people here are trained to help others where I am not. Plus, I am meaner than they are and if my mother is not doing the correct thing I tell her what she is doing wrong and what she needs to be doing right. I have no mercy – probably due to my past experiences with surgeries and getting better with no one holding my hand gently. It was always a “do it or else!” message I was given and now I have the same attitude towards anyone seeking my help. I’m sure she’s going to have a great time with her new friends in the Rehab Unit (that was sarcasm, folks). She has been enjoying her visitors…

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