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Thursday, August 07, 2008

Yes, there are signs

I’m not a religious man…never have been, and never will be. But I do believe there’s something out there. Monday night, that something spoke to me.

Without going into too many details, my mother was hospitalized on Friday and I’ve been here more than there for the duration. I’m writing this now, in fact, from one of the family waiting rooms.

Mom’s condition, prior to admittance, is bad. Alzheimer’s and a heart condition. She now had a bowel obstruction and pneumonia in both lungs, probably from food aspirations. Anyway, the doctor who saw her basically wanted us to let her go…to say goodbye..because he felt her confluence of frailties was too great to surpass. On Monday, he gave us bad and worse news for her prognosis…she needed a surgery that would likely kill her, or we could let her eat from a tube and leave the condition alone.

Though we hadn’t yet finalized our decision, we both wanted to give her a chance to live tube-free.

So as my sister and I left the hospital and were walking through the parking lot, I looked up and there was the most amazing rainbow I think I’ve ever seen. I stopped and pointed it out and began to trace it with a fingertip when I noticed a fainter, second rainbow. A double rainbow. Since it hadn’t rained, it seemed like a sign, so I was actually able to go home feeling better about the decision we were inexorably coasting towards…

Mom had the surgery yesterday evening…and though it was a worst-case scenario come true, the surgeon was able to remove enough of the bowel obstruction to create a workable path. Today, she is doing fantastic…her skin has that glow back and the natural beauty that she is is shining through the disease. She’s also much more alert than she’s been since she was admitted.

I’m still not a religious man, though you can be sure that the next time I see a rainbow, I’m gonna stop and take note.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow. I wish all the best for you and your family through this. It's so hard, I know. I'm thinking about you.

Charles Gramlich said...

I'm very glad your mom is doing better. Glad the surgery worked out. All our mothers are getting older. I'm getting ready to go see mine.

Wonder Man said...

My heart goes out to you and your family

Clifford said...

Thanks friends...

Aoibheall said...

You probably know what I would say, so just consider that I already said it. I'm always amazed at your strength and optimism.

Clifford said...

Thanks my friend...I still haven't forgotten the CD you made for me when things were at their worst...little kindnesses go a long way...

About Me

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This is me and one of my two cats. His name is Cougar, and he’s an F1 Chausie. A chausie is a new breed of cat under development. Chausies are the result of a cross between a domestic cat (in Cougar’s case, a Bengal) and a jungle cat (Felis Chaus). Cougar’s mom is 8 pounds and his father is a 30-pound jungle cat. He’s about 16 pounds, super intelligent, spirited, and toilet trained. A writer without a cat (or two) is not to be trusted.