The Snowflake Chronicles

My Mother�s Birthday

18 Ala 163 B.E. – Monday, March 19, 2007

Today is my mother’s birthday. She was born 86 years ago on my Grandparent’s farm in Grant County, Oklahoma. The doctor who delivered her arrived at the farm driving the only car in that area. My mother was so small at birth that the doctor didn’t expect her to live. The doctor couldn’t weigh her when she was born, because he didn’t have a scale with him. He weighted her a week or so later when my grandparents took her into town for the first time. According to my grandfather, Mom weighed only about 4 lbs. when the doctor weighted her. My mother is a fighter she refuses to give up.

Today my mother will spend her 86th birthday in a hospital bed. I took her to UMC on Monday, March 12, she was doubled over in pain. We got to the ER at 7:30 Pacific Standard Time on Monday night and finally got a bed, in the ER at 2:30 Tuesday morning. The staff interviewed her and determined the amount of pain she was in, she said “It was worse than labor pains.” Since Mom gave birth to four children, she should know what labor pains feels like and how bad they are. I lift her in the bed in ER and came back home to take care of the cats, when I got back to the hospital a couple of hours later she was in a regular hospital bed.

The problem is a blockage in her lower intestines. She is receiving nutrition through IVs. I have spent the lost week going back and forth to the hospital. She has been X-rayed, received an MRI and an Ultra Sound. The cause of the blockage still isn’t known. My Mother is talking, knows where she is, knows who is visiting her, and wants to come home. I don’t know when she will be able to come home. I miss her.

My brothers and sister are here right now, but will have to leave soon. One brother and my sister will leave this afternoon or evening and the other tomorrow. Fortunately, there is the Baha’I community here they are supportive and helpful. Several members have visited her already and more will visit her. I have said the Long Healing Prayer every day. I wish I could stay with her all the time 24/7, but I have to come home to feed the cats and take care of the house.

I’m not sure what else to write. I know I have to get on with everything. I’m the only one in the house to do the work now and I’m not sure where to start. I’ve caught up on the laundry and cleaned one of the litter pans. Every time I walk into the front door, the cats meet me and look for Mom.