I would just like to give everyone an update on me and my family stuff.... you may or may not know that I've been in Seattle for the past week and two days, Because my Oma (Grandmother) was not feeling well, and while taking care of her, my mom fell and broke her hip on Valentines day. So I flew home to help the family, as there are only a few of us. My mom had surgery on sun Feb 15 to put her hip back together with 3 screws. Due to the type of injury and surgery my Mom required additional hospital time for rehab and Physical Therapy. My Uncle, Bob (mom's b-friend), and I spent time in between taking care of my Oma, who was having good and bad days, and visiting my mom, and running errands and cleaning the house to prepare for in home care and my mom to have to sleep upstairs, main floor.
Ubah (Visiting Angels) joined us on Wednesday to help with Oma, and almost instantly became part of the family. A very wonderful caring girl originally from East Africa found her way quickly into Oma heart and vice virsa. Oma had been very apprehensive to have someone other than family come in our home to help take care of her, and we were all glad that Uhba fit so well. Oma had a rough time when she found out that my Mom was not coming home right away and need to stay in the hospital for additional therapy. She also had a rough time the day before my Uncle had to go back to Philadelphia, but that Sat was a good day. Watching CNN, and spotting hummingbirds that came to the feeder hanging by the window. She ate all her food and was in good spirits all day, we discussed things going on in my life and stories from the past, and how much better she felt.
Sunday (Ubah's 25th birthday which i did not find out until later that day) however Oma woke up and did not feel well she refused food, and drink although we eventually talked here into eating some fruit and muffin. Ubah and i now alone, took her blood pressure and were confused at the results. Her blood pressure was low, i make some phone calls, and we check again. MHB (good friend of the family) had planned on coming over and was there during the day to help with who to call and what to do and not do. She also read some letters from a fiction novel to Oma that she enjoyed. MHB has such a captivating voice that Ubah and I sat and listened through our monitors as she read.
As the day went on and her blood pressure did not improve, and I talked to doctors and looked up info on the internet, I became increasingly aware of the possibility that today might be the day. We tried to make her as comfortable as possible, as she did not want to be taken to the hospital. Although for a little while during the day she thought she was at the hospital and asked when she could go home. When I tried to prove that she was home by showing her that Coco, her cat was right next to her, she persisted that "Coco is always allowed in the hospital." Around 9:00pm as we tried, per request, to help her sit up, half her face went slack, and she spoke with garbled words. I believe she had another stroke. I left the room to call my Mom, who called the doctor, and MHB as she is an Angel who came to help and did just that. Without question she came right over and hopped into bed with Oma, and spent the night whispering words of love and comfort in her ear. I am grateful to MHB there are not enough words to sing her phrases.
Marilyn was with her when she passed, at home in her own bed at 5:30 Monday Feb 23 2009. MHB woke me up, and I called my Mom, Ubah came upstairs, and cried as I told her the news. She told me that Oma had impacted her life, and she will miss her. I was glad that Ubah was there, this was her first job with Visiting Angles and she was an amazing assistance.
Lorraine LaLanne Rickett was 91 when she died, and she lived a full life, and had many interesting experiences, including being a RN in a French Hospital in San Francisco, Living in Hawaii During WWII, transporting baby Gorillas from England to the Woodland Park Zoo. Raising two children, and then helping to raise her 1st grandchild. Although my childhood was one of many challenges, where she and I often fought, Oma was my second parent, and is a major part of who I am today, and I thank her for everything, she gave me more than I even know.
My mom comes home from the rehab center today... I think. And I've been at home spending time with two very confused cats. Coco is sill looking for Oma, and I don't know how to tell a cat that she is in a better place.
Ubah (Visiting Angels) joined us on Wednesday to help with Oma, and almost instantly became part of the family. A very wonderful caring girl originally from East Africa found her way quickly into Oma heart and vice virsa. Oma had been very apprehensive to have someone other than family come in our home to help take care of her, and we were all glad that Uhba fit so well. Oma had a rough time when she found out that my Mom was not coming home right away and need to stay in the hospital for additional therapy. She also had a rough time the day before my Uncle had to go back to Philadelphia, but that Sat was a good day. Watching CNN, and spotting hummingbirds that came to the feeder hanging by the window. She ate all her food and was in good spirits all day, we discussed things going on in my life and stories from the past, and how much better she felt.
Sunday (Ubah's 25th birthday which i did not find out until later that day) however Oma woke up and did not feel well she refused food, and drink although we eventually talked here into eating some fruit and muffin. Ubah and i now alone, took her blood pressure and were confused at the results. Her blood pressure was low, i make some phone calls, and we check again. MHB (good friend of the family) had planned on coming over and was there during the day to help with who to call and what to do and not do. She also read some letters from a fiction novel to Oma that she enjoyed. MHB has such a captivating voice that Ubah and I sat and listened through our monitors as she read.
As the day went on and her blood pressure did not improve, and I talked to doctors and looked up info on the internet, I became increasingly aware of the possibility that today might be the day. We tried to make her as comfortable as possible, as she did not want to be taken to the hospital. Although for a little while during the day she thought she was at the hospital and asked when she could go home. When I tried to prove that she was home by showing her that Coco, her cat was right next to her, she persisted that "Coco is always allowed in the hospital." Around 9:00pm as we tried, per request, to help her sit up, half her face went slack, and she spoke with garbled words. I believe she had another stroke. I left the room to call my Mom, who called the doctor, and MHB as she is an Angel who came to help and did just that. Without question she came right over and hopped into bed with Oma, and spent the night whispering words of love and comfort in her ear. I am grateful to MHB there are not enough words to sing her phrases.
Marilyn was with her when she passed, at home in her own bed at 5:30 Monday Feb 23 2009. MHB woke me up, and I called my Mom, Ubah came upstairs, and cried as I told her the news. She told me that Oma had impacted her life, and she will miss her. I was glad that Ubah was there, this was her first job with Visiting Angles and she was an amazing assistance.
Lorraine LaLanne Rickett was 91 when she died, and she lived a full life, and had many interesting experiences, including being a RN in a French Hospital in San Francisco, Living in Hawaii During WWII, transporting baby Gorillas from England to the Woodland Park Zoo. Raising two children, and then helping to raise her 1st grandchild. Although my childhood was one of many challenges, where she and I often fought, Oma was my second parent, and is a major part of who I am today, and I thank her for everything, she gave me more than I even know.
My mom comes home from the rehab center today... I think. And I've been at home spending time with two very confused cats. Coco is sill looking for Oma, and I don't know how to tell a cat that she is in a better place.
Mom and Oma
No comments:
Post a Comment