My Mother-in-law has to be one of the strongest women I know. She turned 91 this past August. Five years ago she lost her son William, Neils older brother. He was only 52. He had a twin brother, David who died when they were only 14. He died within three months after their father died in a car accident. Over the past three years her health has declined and yet she has battled on. It's been a long road, in a short time, for a woman who consistently worked to stay in good health all her life.
Just 3 years ago she started showing serious signs of Alzheimer's disease. Soon after she battled and won a fight with Cancer. Though she wasn't aware of it, you know that her body was. But she never tired and gave up. She has battled pneumonia several times since then and keeps on going. Last year about this time we thought it might be the end. She went in the hospital with pneumonia, a clot in a major artery and ended up losing one of her legs below the knee. She battled on to my amazement. In the meantime she has been diagnosed with sugar diabetes and been on a feeding tube for the last year.
Neil visits his mom every day. He is as good a son as Mother could ever want. He oversees everything she does and goes through. For the past three weeks she's been fighting pneumonia. Without going into details she was sounding very bad and the meds weren't working. They did a sputum test to find out the exact strain of pneumonia so they could get the correct meds started. They also found out that her sodium was very high and she had e coli infection. We visited her Friday night and she looked good considering. Smiled and laughed although we couldn't make out most of what she said.
Things took a sudden change Friday morning. The nursing home called Mom was found without her breathing tube (which was never in when we showed up anyway) and on her side blue. She had a pulse and was being treated as they rushed her to the E.R. Mom never turns at all in bed. It's obvious to me she was struggling for air.
We arrived at the E.R. where they had an oxygen mask on her face but she was alive. The Drs. came in and ask Neil about the DNR (do not resuscitate) order. Neil told them to do everything possible for her. The Dr said he wanted us to understand the situation. He said. we could use the ventilator to keep her alive but we don't know how long she was without oxygen. There's the possibility that she could have brain damage, that she could be in essence a vegetable or in a coma state for the rest of her life. It seems that they were encouraging the DNR. Moms Dr. from the nursing home who also practices there came in and encouraged Neil that he was right. He said put her on the ventilator, reverse the DNR and you can make that discussion when you have more information. He said, she looked good yesterday and we can start the new meds and do an EEG to see what damage occurred.
We don't know the results from the EEG yet but we have had good news. His mother is breathing mostly on her on. They cut back on the ventilator this morning but it's still there to take up any slack. In the evening they let it do more of the work so she can rest without wearing herself out. She still hasn't spoken to us but she has looked at us one time. That gave Neil a huge burst of encouragement and affirmed that he had made the right decision for now. The ICU nurse said she was doing better today. She fought and got mad (no speaking) and looked at her when trying to suction her mouth. So she still has her FIGHT left. That tells me she's not ready. The nurse at the nursing home walked in at just the right time, that tells me it's not her time yet. It's not like they are in there checking up on the patients like they should for the most part. Pretty much the exact opposite. Yet the nurse didn't come in 10 minutes later to find her, they walked in just in time to save her. God's timing in miraculous. The prayers that we knew were being said yesterday were what comforted us and they were all being sent straight to Gods ear. We know they were heard. I didn't have the faith Neil had but I have learned never to underestimate his mother. She is a fighter and she is a Christian. She is quite amazing. I never thought yesterday morning that things would be looking so good today.
That's the power of a sons love for his mother. That's the power of more than one gathering and praying in His name. That's the Miracle of God.
If you are reading this please continue to pray for strength for Nadine, Neil and I. Your words mean so much and knowing the prayers are there for us, is like getting a boost of B-12.
God bless ya'll.........Tracy :)
