Had a sudden change of plans today. I spent most of the day catching up with Karen over brunch at Panera in San Bernardino and then moving to a Hawaiian BBQ place so we could have dinner. I was just about to get in the car on my way home when my mobile went off, and it was John telling me he was heading out to Hemet. Mom's caretakers at the assisted living place had found her on the floor this morning, conscious but unable to get up, and she was now in the hospital. So I drove straight south and met up with John just as he got to the hospital, and both of us went up to see Mom.
The good news is that she was tracking much better than usual. The bad news is that she is slurring her words and having trouble with her right arm. I'm not impressed with Hemet's hospital; while I was there, they brought a tray with dinner on it, dumped it on her bedside table, and walked out again. I asked if someone would come help her, so someone grudgingly came in, took the lids off and told her what was on the plate, but then walked out again. I ended up helping her with dinner. She could, very slowly, maneuver the broccoli and rice onto her spoon and make it to her mouth (although she came in a bit low at times, and often dumped part of it on her gown). Mom complained constantly about pain in her wrist (she evidently fell on it and sprained it) and the doctor who came in took her hand and then wagged her arm up and down and side to side, and said, "See? When it moves like that, nothing's broken," while Mom nearly turned white from pain. Asshole. When I asked him about her slurring and the weakness in her arm, he said he wasn't concerned about that. He recommended that she go to a convalescent hospital for some physical therapy to get some strength back in her extremities, and then she could return to the assisted living facility.
While John went to get some paperwork from Mom's sister, who lives nearby and has been taking primary responsibility for her, I entertained Mom with stories from our childhood. She still gets a joke and was able to follow my stories, which is more than I've seen from her in a while. She could hear herself mumbling and slurring and it frustrated her to the point that she got so mad that she said "How's Your Job?!" completely clearly. So, while it's a setback, it's not as bad as it could be.
So now I'm not sure what's going to happen. I'm letting John and Emma take point on this, since I have no idea of what she's been through or who her insurance provider is or anything.
Sheesh.
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