... well, the deed is done... and my nauseated Momma is happy reclining in a warm family room... replete with cozy blanket, puke bucket, and Percocet... the coming days will be hard on her, for sure, but she's a tough old bird... and she wants this... so it is good....
... anyway, I spent most of the day watching a gaggle of octogenarians play cell phone tag with each other in the 2nd floor waiting room at the UT Medical Center.. it was truly mesmerizing... those old coots and ladies... giggling as they buzzed their sister's cell phone two seats away...
.. five of them and their spouses sat in the same little area as my Aunt and I... and by the end of the night we were almost family to them... I guess the boredom and stress of hanging around in a hospital for 9+ hours bonds people... mutual suffering... denial... or fear of the unknown... and hey, we all deal with it in our own way... me and my Aunt?... drinking coffee, pacing, and biting our fingernails... those old crusties?.. phone-tag, laughter, and homemade bacon and egg biscuits made by Eddie (Sister Susan's husband who always gets up early and cooks breakfast) cheered their hours...
... sure, they were just as worried about their "big sister" as she was undergoing her back surgery... who, by the way, was all of 100 pounds and 90 years old... but they did not let the facts of age, life, or the cost of prescriptions bay them from enjoying being together... even if it WERE under such dire circumstances.... they were a real, honest-to-goodness, old-school Family... sisters laughing as brothers in law joked about something that took place forty years ago... brothers sending text messages about the size of their brother's "equipment" to their aging sister-in-law... to be quite honest, it was refreshing... they were family... they were together... they were worried about their sister/sister-in-law... and they were dealing in the only ways they knew how...
... I was honored to watch them... and I was honored to get a chance to meet them and talk.... hell, it took my mind off of my own worries... and they made me envious too....
Glad to hear all went well.
Bullshitted by phin on February 21, 2006 09:19 PMYeah, what Phin said...
They were coping in their own ways, and helping to ease your fears at the same time... very cool.
A little bit of peace for everyone.
Bullshitted by That 1 Guy on February 21, 2006 09:32 PMSo glad that all went well... You have been on my mind today.
::sending more healng thoughts to the SW Mom::
Bullshitted by Richmond on February 21, 2006 09:46 PMTake care fo that woman, we know you will!
Yeah..they say 'you can't teach an old dog knew tricks', (which is not true)...but it should be..'we can learn allot from them!'
Yeah, I've been in that place you're in, felt the same.
We could learn a lot from the elderly. They're kind of a national treasure, if we ever explored this. They've been through more wars, a great depression and recessions, death, hard times and yet, for the most part, they are resilient and appreciate every day on earth. They understood how important one's family is.
Their values are not traditional any longer, in my humble opinion.
Glad your mom is doing well and you made it through. Hope you don't pine away now!
Bullshitted by Cheryl on February 21, 2006 10:49 PMYou're a good guy, Eric.
Bullshitted by John Climacus on February 22, 2006 03:03 AMI don't know why this made me laugh, "made by Eddie (Sister Susan’s husband who always gets up early and cooks breakfast)", but it did. I guess it was the fact they became so familiar.
As I say about families, people pay good money for that kind of entertainment!
Here's to hoping your Mom isn't having to use that puke bucket and that she's up and around in no time!
Bullshitted by Bou on February 22, 2006 07:03 AMI'm glad that everyone came through it alright. Take care of her. She's the only "mom" you'll ever have brother...
Bullshitted by RedNeck on February 22, 2006 12:25 PM