+ Last July +

Last July my Mom got really sick.

It was a Friday in the middle of the day. All of a sudden I got a call saying she was admitted to the hospital. She had chest pains.

The doctors claimed there was nothing wrong and sent her home. Two hours later she was readmitted. Her chest was still acting up. This time they tried x-rays, blood tests, and ultrasounds. They discovered she had a dead gallbladder and scheduled surgery. 

The thing about my mom is that she doesn't like being in hospitals. Really doesn't like it, as in she's not the best patient ever on her good days. 

Sunday she had her surgery and things went well. All was good. Her oxygen was a little low so she couldn't go home. 

Monday she managed to put on a good enough show for the doctors/nurses to convince them she could go home as long as she had an oxygen machine. She'd already tried calling myself and the dad and we told her no, she had to stay until she was well. Naturally in her drug-addled state she called the one person who would do what she wanted, Ajax. 

She ended up knocked the hell out on the couch for 24 hours. So nonresponsive we had to call an ambulance and put into ICU. She got settled in and we stayed with her into the late afternoon. 

Around 7:30pm I get a call from her saying they moved her out of her room into the hallway and are ignoring her. It was a dreary and rainy day, impressive ponds popping up all over roads and parking lots. I speed down to the hospital, park right over a pond causing my pants to soak all the way up to my knees. I storm up to the ICU ready to tear into everyone there and get shit done. Imagine my surprise when I enter and find her exactly where we left her in a room with a nurse cheerily calling to me she'd be right in. 

Mom was struck with hallucinations. She was throwing accusations at the nurses being evil. Telling me I worshipped Satan. I was practicing black magic with the nursing staff. All kinds of crazy things. Among them, she told me to stay. Accused me of loving Dad more because if she was him I'd stay. Yeah, biggest guilt trip ever. She was trying to rip off all her hoses and wires. She got so worked up they had to sedate her. 

But..I stayed with her in the ICU anyway. Drenched in water and tired. Being woken up every hour or so by the nurses checking on mom. The picture is of me passed out later in the week after getting little to no sleep. 

Later in the week mom told dad she was leaving him for buffalo bill. I mock her relentlessly still for that one and make silence of the lamb jokes even if the serial killer isn't the Buffalo Bill she was referring to. It was crazy and intense and I'm so glad it's over.