Now It's My Mother's Turn

Yesterday, Tuesday April 1, 2008, I received a call3. Our car needed to be taken back to the dealership
from my sister in law. "Your mother is in the hospitalwith the same problem they had repaired just 3 days
in the ER. She can't walk for her legs are giving outago.
on her. We've been here about one hour and she4. My husband's yearly heart check-up was at 10:30
wants you to know about it." Boy, did my heart sink.a.m. at Ohio State University Heart Hospital.
I asked Nancy, my sister in law, to explain what5. Our granddaughter needed to be taken for her
happened. It seems that my mother, Martha Kerns,afternoon driving lesson.
began shaking and chilling sometime Monday6. Members of our family needed to be called prior to
afternoon. She decided to go to bed. At noon sheour leaving for Bellefontaine, OH to take care of
refused her Meals on Wheels lunch. The minister, whoMom.
brings the Meals on Wheels meals, reported to theAfter many phone calls, we were able to find
Lutheran Manor office that Mrs. Kerns refused hersomeone else to do most of the above list. My
meal. Debbie, the resident manager, entered Mom'sneighbor, who watches 3 children plus her own son,
room sometime in the afternoon and found her inagreed to look out for my medication and take it into
bed. Debbie asked Mom if she would like for Debbieher home.,
to call Nancy and Jim or even call the squad. DebbieUpon arriving at Mary Rutan Hospital, we were
told Mom that she didn't look good.escorted to Mom's room. When we first entered
My mother is so stubborn! She refused any type ofMom's room, my husband didn't recognize her. Her
assistance. "I'll be fine. All I need is sleep. Nancy andface was so swollen, red and blotchy and one side of
Jim have to get up at 3:30 a.m. to go to work. Don'ther face seemed to be resting on her pillow. Since
call them." So Debbie left with a sinking feeling in hershe was asleep. the nurse woke her up. When she
heart.came awake, she could open her left eye a little with
Mom slept all afternoon and when she woke up sheher right eye refused to open. After what seemed
couldn't move her legs. She needed to go to thelike an eternity, she opened her left eye.
bathroom. The poor dear had to eliminate in her bed,For some reason, during our visit, I pulled the sheet
didn't have the phone near her and the pull cord wasback and I saw a large area on the backside of her
draped over her dresser 5 feet away.calf that looked infected. Also, her right leg, from her
Debbie came in early the next morning, openedknee down, was so swollen and red with two
Mom's apartment door, went to check on Mom andstreaks of red running up her inner and outer thigh.
found Mom lying in a mess. She helped Mom sit upThere was a large, grey area on Mom's calf that
and then called Nancy"s cell phone. Nancy had beenlooked like it was seeping. I called the nurse into the
at the library and was on her way to pick up Momroom and asked her to check on Mom's leg. After
for her doctor appointment.her examination, she called the doctor into check on
In order to get Mom to go the hospital, Nancy andit. After he inspected her calf, he told us that Mom
Mom had a "discussion" about calling the squad. Momhad an ulcerated calf. Since Mom had been given a
refused to go to the hospital, refused to leave herbag of Cipro for her kidneys and another very strong
apartment, etc. When Nancy got firm with her, Momantibiotic for whatever else is going on with her, her
stated she would not leave her apartment until shedoctor felt that these two medication would take
was cleaned up. I don't blame her at all. Nancy got acare of this ulceration.
towel and placed it behind Mom and began the longToday (Wednesday April 2) she will be tested for a
procedure of cleaning Mom, getting clean clothes onblood clot in her leg. The results were: they found 2
her and helping her to the chair next to her bed.blood clot in the vein. This is the descending vein so
Nancy removed all of the bedding and placedthe doctor didn't seem too worried about the blood
everything in a garbage bag.clots. He recommended that we have a screen
At the hospital ER the nurses tried to get Mom toplaced inside the vein after we get the ulcerated
walk to no avail. Mom's legs would not hold her up.spot on her calf cleared up.
She kept sinking down on her ankles. Fearing sheAfter a period of time, Mom looked at me and said,
might break her hip, Mom was placed back into bed"what about my mattress?" I told her Jim and Nancy
with a notation on her chart to not make her walk.threw it out. We would need to buy a new mattress
After many tests, it was determined that Mom has aand bedding.
severe kidney infection.My sister and nephew came up around 6 p.m. and
Living in Columbus, OH and my Mom living instayed until after 8 p.m. I still need to call my oldest
Bellefontaine, OH causes some frustrations when ansister in Virginia and let her know about Mom.
emergency arises. My husband and I had 5 items onWe will be traveling back and forth to Bellefontaine,
our agenda to do today and phone calls to be made.OH until we know Mom is out of danger and then go
Here is our agenda for the day:every other day. The time spent in the car will allow
1. Over $6,000 worth of medication were arriving atme to pray specifically for Mom's recovery.
our home sometime during the day.One never leaves their mother alone. We still believe
2. We had planned to eat out with our senior groupin family.
from church. This is our monthly meeting.