Accidents Happen to All of Us - Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016

While Bob and I were seeing "Moana" on Monday I had my phone on silent. When we returned to our room, I set my phone back to ring and I noticed my sister had tried to call twice. My sister rarely calls, so I wondered if something had happened to Mom. I called her back and she told me Mom had fallen in her living room. 

Apparently Mom got up from her computer and then fell on her side onto the carpet. She was pretty shaken up and gave herself a few minutes to calm down. When she tried to move she had excruciating pain in her hip. She couldn't sit or stand and the home phone was on a tray table a few feet from her. She knocked over the table and the phone fell on the floor. She was able to grab the cord and pull the phone to her. It's a good thing it wasn't a cordless phone!

My sister lives about 20 minutes away, so she called Mom's neighbors and a couple of her church friends who were close by. They went to Mom's house, but every door and window were locked and they couldn't get in. When my sister arrived she let them in. They called an ambulance and Mom was transported to the hospital. The ambulance personnel and the emergency personnel were all amazed by how healthy Mom is for an 86 year old. 

After taking x-rays, it was established she had a small fracture in her hip bone. The decision was made to operate on Tuesday morning.

This morning at 9 am, Mom was prepped for surgery and then taken to the operating room at 10:30 am. Her surgery lasted an hour.

Frank, my brother, sent a photo of the surgery they performed...insertion of a long pin and then a plate and screws to stabilize the hip so it can heal.

When I called Mom this afternoon, she was in good spirits and related everything that happened since she fell, including being asked many times by hospital staff for her name and birth date. My son, Michael, was there and my brother, Frank, and sister, Janyce, were on the way. 

Mom will do well as she's a very determined lady. Her hospital stay is expected to be 3-4 days. Then she will be in a rehab center for physical therapy for about a week. We're not sure yet what going home will look like for her. She won't be able to drive for a while and she doesn't have a walk-in shower. That is all to be worked out as we go along. 

Mom, we love you and are happy your surgery went well. With your positive mental attitude, healthy body, and can-do work ethic, we know you will shine in your physical therapy treatments. Let us know what we can do to help out.

Bob and I want to say a special thanks to my sister, Jan, for taking care of everything. She is a real blessing. We are very impressed with her for using resources at her disposal to make things work. 

We'd also like to thank the rest of my family and friends and neighbors who are doing what they can to assist and visiting with Mom. I know it means a lot to Mom, and to Bob and I, who aren't nearby.

Thank you also for your kind thoughts and prayers.