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Tuesday, April 06, 2010

An update

  1. I have a mild cold, which I pray I didn't give to my grandmother when I visited her in the hospital. I really tried not to.
  2. I went to Danville on Monday afternoon and went to the hospital there, where she was in ICU. She's pretty weak, but getting a bit stronger. Her bloodwork is certainly better. Apparently my mom came in about 1:30 the other afternoon and found my grandmother lying out on the ground outside. She'd fallen about 6:30 the evening before, picking up twigs and putting them in the bin to go out. It was a warm night but rained. My mom found a neighbour who helped get Ma up and they got her inside. My mom waited to go to work until my grandmother could walk to the couch with her cane otherwise unaided. She didn't have anything broken and seemed able to navigate. My stepfather came later and checked on her, and they talked and did fine, and he left. At lunch my mom came to check on her and found her on the floor. My grandmother didn't want to go to the hospital and my stepfather was about to pick her up and carry her out to the car when they called my cousin Buddy, whom Ma will do anything for, and he told her to go.

    When they got to the hospital, she was very ill. She could have easily died, especially if no one had found her, from her blood sugar and dehydration alone. Yesterday and today she was able to walk some, which is crucial to getting her back home; if her muscles are too weak that she'll just fall again, she can't really stay by herself in her home. Next time she might not be so lucky. But she's doing better today and they were moving her to another floor outside of the ICU. We'd like her to stay in the extended care area for a couple of weeks to build up her strength but she's being resistant. Buddy may have to convince her on that one, too.
  3. After we visited yesterday, my mom and I went back to my grandmother's house and watched a little 'NCIS' Then she left me there to go home and get some sleep; she hadn't had any after working a sixteen-hour shift the night before. I watched another 'NCIS' programme and then took my grandmother's tiny dog Bo out, put the satellite channel on classical, ate some lima beans and saltines, and then headed to bed. This time I remembered to bring my CPAP, so I actually managed to sleep.
  4. This morning I got up at 8 and watched a couple of episodes of 'Charmed' before my mom came to get me and we went to see my grandmother. My mom slept nearly the whole time we visited, from 10-2, but my grandmother and I talked. Then we went back to the house for my things and talked to Buddy and the lady he'd asked to clean the house so it would be nice for Ma when she gets back.
  5. John and Momma took me back to Lexington and dropped me at a friend's, where I finished some cleaning left over from Sunday.
  6. I came home on a packed bus with standing room only. Fortunately I had a seat, but had all my stuff, backpack, purse, etc. in my lap to make room for someone else. I've never seen it so packed on that run. I texted Brandon back (he'd asked how my grandmother was doing) and then I got home a little after 10 pm.
I am tired, and was hungry but just ate some macaroni and cheese. I haven't showered today and I'm tempted to take one before I go to bed, but I'm not sure I want to make an effort. I can sort of breathe right now and don't want to dislodge too much mucous so I can't breathe whilst I sleep. Fortunately the CPAP helps with that; it blows all the crap back into my throat, usually without me choking on it or anything. But my nasal passages stay pretty clear with that forced air. Okay, I'm going to sign off, at least for awhile. The only news I've see is the coal mine explosion in West Virginia, which was on the front page of Danville's paper. That sounds awful. I'm curious as to what else has happened, although I'm not up to facing my news reader today; I'll just check Google news. Good night.

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