A full rich week

So as weeks go, it's been a week.  As my sons like to say.  Or a year for that matter.  So far 2024 has been less than optimal in the 'Great Year' department.  Almost the opposite.  I told my wife that in the first couple weeks at least, 2024 acts like I ran over its dog. 

Not everything has been some horrible disaster.  But some bumps in the road with a few potholes thrown in just to liven it up.  Which all seemed to be converging on this week for the grand finale.  At least hopefully the grand finale for the year. 

My wife was scheduled for some medical tests on Wednesday.  Nothing too serious, but those tests you get just to make sure all is OK and crossing Ts and everything. But that became the least of the concerns on Tuesday night.  My mom, it turned out, had a stroke at some point during that day. 

Now, that's concerning when you're 93 years old and have suffered from dementia for almost fifteen years.  The good news is, she appears to have bounced back about as well as we could hope.  In fact, when we were told to call 911 and the EMS crew showed up, they made me explain why they were there.  Given her vitals, and that she couldn't remember her name or speak clearly, given her age and dementia, didn't seem to warrant the emergency call.  I had to establish the baseline. 

The most I could say is we knew something was wrong.  We had our little routines, things we did with her every day and night.  Things we said every night before she went to bed.  And suddenly she couldn't say them.  It was a hunch on our part that something was wrong.  So to the ER she went and the scan confirmed our suspicions and fears.  At some point she suffered a stroke.

Nonetheless, they sent her home yesterday.  As the doctor explained, for a woman of her age and the long trail of dementia, having had a significant stroke, she's doing exceptionally well.  Oh, she's had a memory wipe.  She no longer knows my name.  Though as I explained to the doctor, she may have forgotten it some time ago.  Since we were here with her and interacted on a daily basis, it never dawned on us to quiz her.  She knew her name and birthday, something lost to her now.  But she knows us still.  

When my son and daughter-in-law stopped by the hospital, even though I wasn't around, she knew them. Not by name.  But she knew them as opposed to, say, the nurses.  Her reaction to us and interaction with us was clearly different than her response to nurses or doctors and such.  As I said, she may no longer know who I am, but she still knows what I am.  Which is about par for the course with us.  I've stated before that we have a knack for being hit with some of the big things that can hit a family, but almost always in the best ways they can happen.  If that makes sense.   

With that said, she will need a new level of care.  Especially over the next month or two.  We'll have some home care and some therapy and some special monitors in the coming weeks.  They believe that might help improve a little in the communications department while watching over her more closely.   But as they observed, she's already back to speaking and talking and communications well beyond what we could have hoped.  But it will change things, more than they were already changing.  

Hence the sudden drop in blog posts.  I said I would cut down, but didn't mean that much.  I at least wanted to post on fun things.   But it's been a bit busy these last days.  Prayers would be appreciated for my mom.  I think the toughest part is that now she's home, we know it is only the beginning.  Which is fine.  As my wife and I have admitted, this is the path we chose.  And given what my mom did for me through the years - including that whole giving me life thing - I consider it the least we can do.  

I would say kudos to the boys who, as always, stepped up to the plate.  One thing they have learned is how to swing into action when something goes wrong.  But it will probably be a little bit longer before I'm back to blogging unless some crazy thing happens - and that could include crazy good things.  Otherwise, I'll be back when I can.