Things Can Change on a Dime....

The Master Plan (from Ann)

Auldbrass Revisited: Without totally boring you with Auldbrass, I would like to include THIS ARTICLE as the definitive piece on Auldbrass and Joel Silver's restoration of it.  It's from a 2003 NY Times article and I wish I'd found it before the tour but, even so, I've gotten a better understanding of the history.  So, if you enjoyed the photos from the last entry (especially those from the link, moreso than my personal photos), I think you will really enjoy this article.  Thus ends the mention of Auldbrass.

The above was written before the weekend was over, while everything was rosy.  Boy, can things turn on a dime (as we all know).  On Monday morning if left early for work to run by the post office and stop at the drug store.  I stopped in the parking lot to call my mother before going to work to find that she had fall about 10PM on Monday night.  She crawled back to bed, not using the Lifeline that hung around her neck.  I could tell that she was in a great deal of pain but she still didn't want me to call anyone.  I tried to call two people whom I thought would be home, but no luck.  Finally, I called 911 here to find out how to call 911 in her area.  Once the emergency people arrived at her home, she was so locked in they had difficulty geting to her - I'm still not sure how they did it.  In the meantime, I was at work and tied up a few loose ends, but otherwise I was pretty useless until I could get out.  I threw some things in the car, arranged for someone to look after my kitties, pick up the mail, etc. and headed to NC.

In the meantime, the whole area was being hit by the residual affect of Ida.  Monday through Wednesday were dark, cold, windy days - bitter.  I got to NC around 5PM as they were taking my mother in for a CT scan.  Her oxygen level had dropped and the doctor was concerned that fat may have gotten in the lungs, which would behave the same as a blood clot.  Therefore, he felt it would be best to send her to Carolina Medical Center in Charlotte.  So, at 10PM they took her in the ambluance and I made my way in the rainy, cold night.  I hate driving at night and this was the worst, with glaring lights bouncing off the wet road.  To add to the excitement, I stopped at a drive-thru for food, parked in front to eat it in the car and was approached by two (harmless) homeless men!!  I reached the hospital around midnight.  My mother was in ICU for two days.  I stayed with her until Wednesday night when I drove to her house to shower, feed her kitties and get a good night's sleep.  The ICU was like a meat locker and they wouldn't even give me a pillow - I slept on three chairs pushed together, going to the waiting room occasionally to warm up.  I was/am wrecked. 

She is now in a regular room and today has been her best day so far.  The first night she was here, they gave her morphine and she talked and moved all night long.  The next day she could hardly stay awake - she had worn herself completely out. She has been up twice and likes sitting in a chair as it gets her out of bed and feels better - it's just so painful getting into and out of the chair.  It is likely to be a long, painful recovery as all they can do is give it time to heal

I went home (to her house) again last night to crash.  I had "planned" to go back to work on Tuesday but have emailed to say I will stay here until she is relocated to a nursing/rehab facility, which I think might be early this week.  I think she will handle it better if I'm here and I would be anxious about it if I were there.  At least today was a very nice day and I could enjoy the changing leaves on my way back up this morning, 

Throughout all of this, I owe special thanks to my cousins Larry and Peggy, who stayed with my mother until I could get there.  Other cousins who live in the area of the hospital, Bill & Betty and Dennis & Carol, came over to visit yesterday and today, as soon as they knew what had happened.  It was an immediate boost to both my mother and me, and I'm very appreciative.. 

Anyway, that's my week - hope yours has been much better.