Message from the President
Greetings friend, and welcome to the December Comfort Connection!
With this festive season right around the corner, any news we receive seems so much more intense. Last night (Nov 24th), I received the text every daughter of an elderly parent dreads to hear. Mom had a fall. She broke her hip. She’s in the hospital. I was stunned. I couldn’t think. My world started to spiral as I thought of all the horror stories I know of broken hips. I burst out crying.
When I got my wits about me enough to call a friend, he told me to take a deep breath and make some calls to find out more. Ok. That’s good. Get it together. Stop bawling. Now I had a task I could focus on besides crying: Phone the hospital.
When I called, my mom hadn’t even arrived at the hospital yet. For some reason I called work (COHC) to see if a caregiver had been with my 91-year-old mother today. Of course, the answer was no. She only gets a caregiver once a month for cleaning. She’s still so very independent. Will all that end now? Back to crying and freaking out.
When I called the hospital again a bit later, she had arrived! The lady on the end of the line was so calm and friendly; so reassuring. A little later, they called me!! Any news when in a state like I was in means the world! And a few minutes later, they brought a pager to mom, and I was able to talk to her. Instant relief flooded my whole being. She sounded her usual self! She wasn’t happy that this fall was really going to cramp her schedule. She had so much planned! I asked her what she had going on. She said she had planned to sew more quilts! (She sews over 50 per year for charity.) Ahhhh, mom! I see you’ll be fine!!
From terror to helplessness... from irrationality to rational... from intense grief to relief all within the space of half an hour. Caring for an elderly parent can be one of the worst roller coaster rides we have even been on.
It was confirmed her hip was broken with a small fracture. She had surgery the next day and has already started physio. My mom’s usual determined attitude will get her through. She will recover. I have no doubt she will be out of the hospital in no time.
As you go through the hustle and bustle of this season and all the uncertainty in these times, love your loved ones just a little bit more because we don’t know what could happen tomorrow. Most importantly, remember the King who came as a baby to give us PEACE on earth.
