Prayers for Mom

After my marathon workout this morning (one hour on the elliptical and thirty minutes on the treadmill---ooh-rah!), I found a voicemail from my sister waiting for me: Mom had broken her leg. Actually, the message was that Mom was on the floor and said she'd broken her leg in half and was waiting for the ambulance. What?!

It took another couple of hours to get more details. Mom had fallen, pulled herself close enough to pull the phone down, called her dear friend Roberta and an ambulance, and then my sister. While talking to my sister, the ambulance was breaking into Mom's house.

And finally, Charla (my sister) called me with an update. Indeed---as Mom had originally suspected, she completely broke both bones in her lower leg---not too far above the ankle. (She's been doing major cleaning out of things at her house, and in the middle of it all, stepped on a magazine: ergo---Slip. Fall. Break.) One thing my sister mentioned was how calm Mom was on the phone when she originally called. As weird as this might sound, but that told us that indeed this was a severe injury.

Anyway, Mom's in the hospital, and after waiting for too long, finally got word that they'll do surgery Thursday morning. She'll need a pin put in, it seems.

I talked to her twice this evening, and she's as okay as can be expected. Her friend Roberta is there with her, and my sister and my aunt---Mom's sister---will be there in the morning for the surgery.

Do I go? I have struggled all day with that. I'm leaving the state, but right now, I'm near enough to be there in just over three hours. But I'm also leaving the state---with movers at my house in less than two weeks. And I barely began to pack yesterday. I am so pulled and so torn, so I asked Mom.

Mom said it'd be silly for me to drive down there. After all, I have to go to Tennessee this weekend to find a house. (I cannot tell you the stress involved in having movers coming to your house in less than two weeks and have absolutely NO idea as to where you'll be living after that! I can't even cancel utilities or anything---I have no forwarding address. Truly, in everything in the last two months, that's been the most overwhelming feeling so far.)

But that trip to Tennessee---it's supposed to be my sister and me. But Mom's hurt. We finally both admitted some selfish feelings (are we awful?) about being so worried about Mom and so sad about her pain---but, selfishly, this trip means so much to both of us.

Sure, yes, I need the help for this trip. Mom's letting me borrow her van to take up all of my boxes for my office and as many houseplants as I can. (They'd never make it living on a semi for week. and I have some gorgeous plants. And it's my mom and her mother that really gave me my love of houseplants and so many flowers. (I credit Dad for my love of perennials.)) And my sister was going to help with all that and with navigating a brand new city (and state----keep in mind that I've never---no, never---even been to Tennessee!) But even more so, this was about me and my sister having some very special time together before I leave the state.

Okay, sure, I've lived in north Texas and she in Houston for the last seven years, and we're not at each others' houses all the time. But me leaving the state---this makes it different. And us having an opportunity for a girls' road trip has been something we have both looked forward to ever since the idea blossomed. More importantly, as sisters, having a chance to "get away" together---it's been a huge focal point for both of us.

My Mom? Well, in all of this so far, she's never once mentioned us cancelling the trip. Admittedly, as soon as we heard Mom was hurt, we figured that was that---no trip for us. But nope. Maybe not. My mom called her sister, and Mom's already got a plan. Normally, it'd involve my sister or me at Mom's house or Mom at my sister's to recover and have help. But Mom didn't even go there---she told me on the phone tonight that she and her sister had already talked about Mom staying with my aunt once Mom's out of the hospital.

When I say that Mom's one of the most loving and giving people I know, it's no fib. That she would do this and try so hard to make sure Charla and I still have our time---well, wow. Kudos to her. And to my aunt.

(and yes, I see that one day, my sister's kids are going to need me to be there for my sister---and I will be. (or maybe it's because I was there for my sister in some way when all three of them were born?) Regardless, again, kudos Aunt Emily. Or in more current words: Emily---you rock!)

Okay, but my heart is still broken for my mom's pain and her being alone when this happened. It's so scary---to have your parents live alone and know what can happen.

(Heck---to any of us that live alone. When I fell a couple of years ago, sure, Howard and Sophie were here, and they both came running when I fell and screamed--Howard then even ran and brought me a toy (not sure---to make me feel better...or as a "hey, as long as you're on the floor, let's play!"?), but neither could actually call for help.)

But at some point, whether they know it or not, your feeling for your parents becomes almost parental.

And personally having had a bone in about fourteen pieces, Mom knows that I do indeed know her pain. And she knows I love her. I've designated myself the "call me absolutely any time during this ordeal" child of hers. I assured her my cell phone would remain at my side and charged, and even if it was 3am and she couldn't sleep, that she could call me to chat.

Anyway, please---good thoughts and all for Mom, 'kay? After talking to her, okay, so the conclusion is that my best thing is to stay here and keep packing----looking forward to the couple of days at the end of this month I've set aside to go see Mom. And it sounds like---as of now---Charla and I are still on. Granted, everything hinges on the report from the doc tomorrow. We know things can change, but we're so appreciative that it seems Mom really understands how important this trip is to the both of us.

Oh---and Sophie? She's been at Mom's house since mid-May. Roberta went by Mom's house and checked on her and fed her this afternoon. She's fine.

Blessings to all of them.