I am tired. Mom's nursing home called on Wednesday morning and said she was unresponsive, dehydrated and they had put her on oxygen. It's difficult to gauge what level of alarm to register since she's been unresponsive since sometime in the mid-2000s and she's spoon-fed meals which consist mostly of thickened liquids and watered-down puddings. Anyway, the fact that they called was enough. I texted Ryan to meet me at the home and headed down there.
The caregiver, Larcy, had been emotional in the morning when she talked to my sister, crying and saying "she's in god's hands now". But Laurel is up at the cottage, planning to come home on Saturday. I told her I'd call when I had more information. Do we sound like callous bitches? I don't know. Since 2005 we've stood in almost every emergency room east of Yonge St. and been told by doctors on at least 3 occasions that mom was dying, wouldn't last out the day. My dad has been at death's door on 5 or 6 separate occasions. Last fall we were told once again that mom wouldn't leave the hospital alive when they discovered she has an inoperable abdominal aortic aneurysm. It could burst at anytime and while they were sure it would kill her within hours last October, she was eventually returned to the nursing home.
Anyway, when I got to the home she appeared comfortable. Apparently she'd had flu-like symptoms on the weekend but nothing that inspired serious concern. She was fine now though. No fever and her colour was good. The oxygen wasn't necessary but they left it on in case she needed it in the night. She'd taken in fluids by the spoonful while never opening her eyes.
We stayed all afternoon and she never woke up or registered our voices. I talked to her about family members and occasions, stood over her while talking to my brother on the phone and then my sister. Not a blink or twitch - other than the Parkinson's kind. The nurse indicated that her blood pressure was normal but her heart rate was high.
This morning, they called to say her blood pressure had dropped dramatically in the night and was still low, heart rate still accelerated. I asked Larcy if she thought I should tell my brother to come home and she said she didn't think so. But she said something along the lines of "it's up to god". Because my mom's religious they think we are too so I just smiled and said, oh mom would like that.
I called Laurel to say she should come home today. I haven't been able to get a hold of her since this afternoon when she texted to say she was on her way. However, she often doesn't respond to her blackberry if she's tired of talking. I can only assume it means status quo.