(no subject)
My week had started off pretty well. Frank and I had an 8 hour drive back up to Charlotte. After a few days of relaxing my mom decided that she wanted to take a short two night vacation since she hadn't been able to go anywhere since her surgery. My brother and dad were in Alabama visiting my grandparents and I didn't have work until Thursday so we decided to go to Wilmington. We had a good visit in Wilmington, on Wednesday the day we were going to return to Charlotte on, we got a call from Chip at about 10 in the morning. My mom started crying and I asked her, "Mom whats wrong" she could barely say it but she mumbled out "Granny had a stroke". I started crying as well. From there we all packed up everything and got in the car within 20 minutes to go back to Charlotte.
On the way to Charlotte we decided that it would probably be easiest to drive rather than go through the process of buying a plane ticket last minute. So after a three hour drive from Wilmington we stopped off in Charlotte to grab some clothes and other various products needed. Frank and my mom took turns driving, the whole time we are getting updates on Granny from my dad. They told us that she was being airlifted to Memphis, Tennessee. They have really good surgeons at the hospital there. My grandmother was bleeding in the brain, so they needed the best. We later found out that she did not have a stroke she had an aneurysm. While we were still driving up she was having surgery. Finally we got a call when we were in Atlanta saying that she was out of Surgery, she survived the surgery.
When we got to Florence, we met up with my dad and brother. Then we all went on our way to Memphis. Memphis is about 2 or 3 hours from Florence. Frank drove me, while my mom rode in the car with my dad and Chip. About an hour after we were driving Chip came over to our car so that Frank could rest. When Chip was driving he started telling me all the facts. That there is hope but it isn't a picnic. He talked with such pessimism in his voice. I suppose he was preparing me for the worst but it only upset me even more. We were getting pretty close to the hospital and after being in the car for 15 hours straight I started feeling nauseous. Chip pulled over so I could get out and I had a panic attack. Frank calmed me down and we got back in the car.
Finally at 2 in the morning we got to the hospital. They took my mom back to see Granny. I sat there crying not being able to control it. Everyone told me that I needed to get some rest, (the waiting room had some recliner chairs for anyone spending the night at the hospital with blankets and pillows) but I couldn't sleep, because every time I closed my eyes I thought of Granny and my mind just could not relax. Around 4 I did fall asleep for about 3 hours. Later that day mom went back with me to see Granny. She was awake, her eyes were swollen and there was a tube stuck down her throat. She had so many things hooked up to her. When she saw me she looked straight at me. I grabbed her hand and she started choking on the tube in her throat. So I let go. Then she grabbed my hand and squeezed it. She didn't let go. We decided to let her rest. The doctors told us that it is a great thing that she is recognizing us and using her hands and her head.
She has been sedated for a few days, it is better that she rests. Today (Sunday) I went in to see her, she was sleeping so I talked to her thinking she might be able to hear me in her subconscious. I told her that I had to leave but I would be back as soon as she gets out of the hospital. I told her I didn't want to go, but I had to. I told her that I love her, because she needed to know that for sure.
My mom and my brother stayed in Memphis. I had to come back with Frank and my dad. Dad has work in the morning. I have work on Thursday. I have to tell my boss that I will be going back to Alabama when my grandmother leaves the hospital or if something happens before then. They should be keeping her in the ICU for two weeks. All I do is worry that something is going to happen and that I will miss it. I wont be there.
I realized this week that you shouldn't take anything for granted. I realized that I love my grandmother more than I could imagine. I'm so scared to lose her. I don't want that day to ever come. I'm going to visit my grandparents more often now that this event has happened. I don't want to miss out on anything else good or bad.
On the way to Charlotte we decided that it would probably be easiest to drive rather than go through the process of buying a plane ticket last minute. So after a three hour drive from Wilmington we stopped off in Charlotte to grab some clothes and other various products needed. Frank and my mom took turns driving, the whole time we are getting updates on Granny from my dad. They told us that she was being airlifted to Memphis, Tennessee. They have really good surgeons at the hospital there. My grandmother was bleeding in the brain, so they needed the best. We later found out that she did not have a stroke she had an aneurysm. While we were still driving up she was having surgery. Finally we got a call when we were in Atlanta saying that she was out of Surgery, she survived the surgery.
When we got to Florence, we met up with my dad and brother. Then we all went on our way to Memphis. Memphis is about 2 or 3 hours from Florence. Frank drove me, while my mom rode in the car with my dad and Chip. About an hour after we were driving Chip came over to our car so that Frank could rest. When Chip was driving he started telling me all the facts. That there is hope but it isn't a picnic. He talked with such pessimism in his voice. I suppose he was preparing me for the worst but it only upset me even more. We were getting pretty close to the hospital and after being in the car for 15 hours straight I started feeling nauseous. Chip pulled over so I could get out and I had a panic attack. Frank calmed me down and we got back in the car.
Finally at 2 in the morning we got to the hospital. They took my mom back to see Granny. I sat there crying not being able to control it. Everyone told me that I needed to get some rest, (the waiting room had some recliner chairs for anyone spending the night at the hospital with blankets and pillows) but I couldn't sleep, because every time I closed my eyes I thought of Granny and my mind just could not relax. Around 4 I did fall asleep for about 3 hours. Later that day mom went back with me to see Granny. She was awake, her eyes were swollen and there was a tube stuck down her throat. She had so many things hooked up to her. When she saw me she looked straight at me. I grabbed her hand and she started choking on the tube in her throat. So I let go. Then she grabbed my hand and squeezed it. She didn't let go. We decided to let her rest. The doctors told us that it is a great thing that she is recognizing us and using her hands and her head.
She has been sedated for a few days, it is better that she rests. Today (Sunday) I went in to see her, she was sleeping so I talked to her thinking she might be able to hear me in her subconscious. I told her that I had to leave but I would be back as soon as she gets out of the hospital. I told her I didn't want to go, but I had to. I told her that I love her, because she needed to know that for sure.
My mom and my brother stayed in Memphis. I had to come back with Frank and my dad. Dad has work in the morning. I have work on Thursday. I have to tell my boss that I will be going back to Alabama when my grandmother leaves the hospital or if something happens before then. They should be keeping her in the ICU for two weeks. All I do is worry that something is going to happen and that I will miss it. I wont be there.
I realized this week that you shouldn't take anything for granted. I realized that I love my grandmother more than I could imagine. I'm so scared to lose her. I don't want that day to ever come. I'm going to visit my grandparents more often now that this event has happened. I don't want to miss out on anything else good or bad.