Monday, December 03, 2001
Yesterday we all descended upon my Mother at the hospital for a visit. Unfortunately Aunt Audrey felt under the weather with stomach pains and couldn’t come, but Aunt Jane called Friday evening asking whether she could join us. So she did, and we all set off from home shortly after 9am in the morning.
We got to the hospital just before 10am. It was a bright, sunny day and apparently Mom had been up early, and had gotten herself dressed up for the impending visit. (In fact, Morris dropped by soon after we got in and delivered one of Mom’s watches to her – she had called her just prior to 6am about something, not realizing how early it was. There’s no clock in her room). Mom was also in a different room from the one she was in when I last visited her, well away from the ever-nattering nutty old lady she was with previously – Mom apparently wasn’t getting much sleep due to her loony companion’s incessant ranting.
Am happy to report that Mom was looking better than she was when I first saw her on Wednesday. Definitely more chipper, and eager to get out of the hospital. The doctor has told her that she will likely require a walker and oxygen in order to be able to safely get around anywhere from this point on. Her dissolved oxygen levels are still low – a nurse told me her average reading was 86, two points lower than the level at which the OHIP will pay for patients to have supplemental oxygen. Mom believes that Veteran’s Affairs will likely pick up a portion of the cost for her needed supplies, which will help.
Vanessa was initially a bit leery about going to the hospital, and I can’t say I blame her. She was very good though, and drew a number of pictures that she gave to a grateful Nana. Vanessa and her mother also enjoyed playing with the mechanized bed beside Mother’s, which was empty. She was clearly getting bored after a while, but I think she “got” why we there visiting her Nana when Erika pointed out that while we could leave whenever we wanted, Nana couldn’t. At this, Vanessa got a little bit teary and asked to stay for a few for minutes.
Speaking of good, Annie was also excellent. Such a good baby. Everybody, including some of the ward’s nurses, took turns holding her and cooing to her, and she smiled, smiled, smiled at everybody.
We stayed with Mom for about three and a half hours, and left in the afternoon after lunchtime.
One possible worry: Morris mentioned to me that he thought Mom’s mind was beginning to wander. I was watching for signs of this during our stay with her, but I didn’t notice anything unusual. It could well be that anything Morris noticed was Mom being stressed by being in the hospital. Still, the comment was worrying and I will keep an eye out for evidence of this.
Mom was asking about the possibility about being released that day, but we never saw a doctor during our time there to confirm when she could be released. I do feel that Mom is in the best place she could be at the moment, and am pleased that the doctors seem to be trying to be thorough in their tests, and not releasing Mom prematurely. I remember all too well the times that Dad was let out from hospital on a few occasions, only to suffer a relapse within a day or so and head straight back to the hospital...
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