the worry and the wait

my mom is in the hospital. she went in via the emergency room last night. i was unaware she was having problems, which is typical of my parents. instead of “no news is good news” they often abide by the philosophy “if they don’t know, they won’t worry.” when i finally spoke to my dad last night, the indications were she has an obstructed bowel and has been suffering since Tuesday.

today there were several phone calls back and forth. my mom didn’t have a room, but i was able to speak to her. my dad had their cell phone, and somehow lost his car keys at the hospital. my mom is 71; my dad just turned 82. they are in relatively good shape, but when normal tasks become difficult i am the first to blame their ages.

the latest diagnosis is an incarcerated hernia. as of 1:00 pm, she was scheduled for “emergency” surgery at 5:00 pm. hmph on the “emergency” adjective. my disappointment and sarcasm should be obvious. i’m not debilitated with worry because i’ve kept busy and occupied, but my grandfather, my mom’s father, died of a hernia when he was in his 60’s.

Hap Jack, my grandpa, developed his hernia after falling out of a tree. his doctor in rural Indiana diagnosed his pain as indigestion and recommended a laxative. Hap Jack’s hernia ruptured, and he died. i was five or six years old at the time.

i tell myself my mom has infinitely better care. but i’m creeped out by the fact i took pictures of the Punkin with my parents at dinner on Sunday. although i regularly toss the camera in his diaper bag, i made a specific effort to take pictures of them together. i just hope i can take more (and better ones) of them together at a later date.