A Glimmer of Hope
My wife Lori and I returned to Decatur from Illinois today, a drive of "only" 11-1/2 hours. Upon returning and speaking with my mother on the phone, we went up to the hospital.
When we arrived, all four of Mee Maw's sons were present. Alfred and his wife Mary had arrived. Ralph and Ann were there, as were Ernest and James. Also present were Mike Grant (the husband of the late Judith, one of us 13 grandchildren) with his wife and 3 of Mee Maw's great-grandchildren.
Apparently Mee Maw's kidneys are still functioning. So just after lunch, at Ralph's and Ernest's insistence, they restored the saline IV drip. Then Ralph had a long talk with the doctor about her medications. Last Monday they increased the dosage of the pain killer (perhaps the morphine, too; I am not totally clear about that detail), and since then Mee Maw has been mostly unresponsive. My mother told me that earlier in the day Ralph had loudly said, "Momma! Momma!" across the hospital room, and it provoked a response from Mee Maw. She moved slightly and either grunted or said, "Huh?". So Ralph discussed with the doctor the possibility of removing or reducing some of the pain medication to see if she would regain some ability to communicate.
When Lori and I arrived, I went to the edge of the bed, bent down, and said, "Hi, Mee Maw, it's Rick!" She grunted something. Lori got the same response. In conversation with Alfred, he said, and others confirmed, that earlier in the evening she had almost said something recognizable. There was, however, universal disagreement about what that was.
After a short visit, Lori and I left so that the great-grandchildren, who haven't seen Mee Maw as often, could have a few moments to work up the courage to speak to her. As we left, I again bent over her, kissed her head, and said, "Goodbye, Mee Maw. It's Rick. I love you." She definitely responded to that! Then Lori repeated it, and got an even greater response.
So the hope now is that perhaps reducing the pain medication can bring her to consciousness enough that we can all enjoy our last moments with her. Who knows? Perhaps the Lord will allow her to recover enough to go to a nursing home for a few days, weeks, or months. None of us know.
What we know for certain is that God is in control, and He will do what is best for Mee Maw and for all of us who are His children. We can trust Him in all things, including this.
Thank you for your continued prayers. Even with an encouraging day like today, it's still hard on everyone. While driving today, Lori and I would jump anytime one of our cell phones would ring. "Pins and needles" doesn't half describe it right now. And I'm sure that we're not the only ones as nerve-wracked as this.
Another note: Tim, Ralph's oldest son, is on his way to Greenville, SC. My sister Lynette will be traveling there this weekend for a music camp next week for two of their children. Alfred is here from North Carolina, but I don't know how long he can stay. Mike and his family are here from Tennessee. There are a lot of different schedules that can be forcibly "rescheduled" by changes in Mee Maw's condition. Please join our families in prayer that when the time comes, it will be the least disruptive for everyone involved.
When we arrived, all four of Mee Maw's sons were present. Alfred and his wife Mary had arrived. Ralph and Ann were there, as were Ernest and James. Also present were Mike Grant (the husband of the late Judith, one of us 13 grandchildren) with his wife and 3 of Mee Maw's great-grandchildren.
Apparently Mee Maw's kidneys are still functioning. So just after lunch, at Ralph's and Ernest's insistence, they restored the saline IV drip. Then Ralph had a long talk with the doctor about her medications. Last Monday they increased the dosage of the pain killer (perhaps the morphine, too; I am not totally clear about that detail), and since then Mee Maw has been mostly unresponsive. My mother told me that earlier in the day Ralph had loudly said, "Momma! Momma!" across the hospital room, and it provoked a response from Mee Maw. She moved slightly and either grunted or said, "Huh?". So Ralph discussed with the doctor the possibility of removing or reducing some of the pain medication to see if she would regain some ability to communicate.
When Lori and I arrived, I went to the edge of the bed, bent down, and said, "Hi, Mee Maw, it's Rick!" She grunted something. Lori got the same response. In conversation with Alfred, he said, and others confirmed, that earlier in the evening she had almost said something recognizable. There was, however, universal disagreement about what that was.
After a short visit, Lori and I left so that the great-grandchildren, who haven't seen Mee Maw as often, could have a few moments to work up the courage to speak to her. As we left, I again bent over her, kissed her head, and said, "Goodbye, Mee Maw. It's Rick. I love you." She definitely responded to that! Then Lori repeated it, and got an even greater response.
So the hope now is that perhaps reducing the pain medication can bring her to consciousness enough that we can all enjoy our last moments with her. Who knows? Perhaps the Lord will allow her to recover enough to go to a nursing home for a few days, weeks, or months. None of us know.
What we know for certain is that God is in control, and He will do what is best for Mee Maw and for all of us who are His children. We can trust Him in all things, including this.
Thank you for your continued prayers. Even with an encouraging day like today, it's still hard on everyone. While driving today, Lori and I would jump anytime one of our cell phones would ring. "Pins and needles" doesn't half describe it right now. And I'm sure that we're not the only ones as nerve-wracked as this.
Another note: Tim, Ralph's oldest son, is on his way to Greenville, SC. My sister Lynette will be traveling there this weekend for a music camp next week for two of their children. Alfred is here from North Carolina, but I don't know how long he can stay. Mike and his family are here from Tennessee. There are a lot of different schedules that can be forcibly "rescheduled" by changes in Mee Maw's condition. Please join our families in prayer that when the time comes, it will be the least disruptive for everyone involved.
posted by Richard | 9:29 PM
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