When it rains it pours…or leads to hurricane!

“When it rains it pours…or leads to hurricane!”

Friday, October 29, 2010

3:46 pm

When it rains it pours…the rain leads to a hurricane…then leaves deathly flooding.  I think that about sums up the last week.  My mother-in-law (MIL) was in the hospital since last Sunday; which was the reason for our visit to Springfield.  We got there Monday.  We were surprised at how sick she was.  I knew from the phone conversations with my brother-in-laws (BILs) that she was really sick and could be on her deathbed.  Even though we knew what to expect it was entirely different seeing it with our own eyes.  There were times she was incoherent and I was really worried.  Then once she did her breathing treatment she was a bit more like herself.  That shows what lack of oxygen can do to the body.  My Aunt Gloria had hours of severe oxygen deprivation during her bout of lung cancer.  She has never been the same sense.  Now she acts like she’s had Alzheimer’s for years.  She’s been like that for ten years.  The doctors warned my cousins that after she woke up from the coma she may start acting as if she had Alzheimer’s even though she didn’t.  I hope nothing happens to my MIL like that.  From how she sounded in the hospital I afraid that her situation will be the same as my aunt’s.

I used a wheelchair the whole time I was in the hospital visiting my MIL.  I can’t walk very far at all with my cane, plus I went into another flare.  The first wheelchair I used fit perfect.  Then we went back to BIL #1’s and BIL #2’s house.  When we went back to the hospital my BIL #1 gave me a larger wheelchair.  That one was hard to maneuver because it was so big.  I couldn’t push myself far at all because of my wrist pain and both wrists subluxate very easily (usually 4-6 times a day).  I’m just glad that my wrists don’t dislocate (yet).  The second time I came back to the hospital after going to get BIL #1, BIL #2, and BIL #2’s wife, I got a wheelchair that fit perfect again.  I wish I could have taken one home.  I could push myself in the small ones just a little, while I couldn’t push myself in the big ones at all.  It would be really nice to have my own chair that fit me.  I have a pen pal whose boyfriend got her a wheelchair off Amazon.   I wonder how much it costs. 

I saw all of MIL’s children that were there break down and cry during her hospital stay, including her daughter-in-law, me.  I really love DH’s mom.  (By the way “DH” stands for darling husband.)  We ended up staying four days and three nights.  I’d only been out of a flare for a few days, so I went back into one in the flare.  I almost (DH doesn’t know this) asked DH to push me down to the ER because I was in so, so much pain.  I was so afraid to take any attention toward myself because, well, my MIL was dying down the hall.  I cried and cried I hurt so bad, but I was lucky enough to not draw too much attention.  I don’t think that anyone realized I kept crying in pain except for one older lady and maybe a couple of times I couldn’t hide it from DH.  I felt so guilty, but my mind and nervous system were filling full of pain signals.  I didn’t want DH to have to give me any extra attention but he later told me that taking care of me was helping him.

My MIL ended up going to a nursing home.  They still have a lot of work to do, but I really feel that it is the best situation for her, because I can’t bear to think of my DH’s mom dying.  I don’t really have a mom anymore and in a way I think that makes me love her even more.  All Jim had to tell me long ago was that his mom and BIL #1 were awesome and I loved them just because he does so much.  My MIL, BIL #1, BIL #2 and his wife have made me feel welcome and like family.  It means a lot, especially when my own family doesn’t feel the need to treat me like a human being. 

By the way, hospital food not only sucks, it’s also really expensive.