I thought I was being SO CLEVER. I was going to get Elegante Mother on her feet little by little, and get her back to her usual schedule. NOT!
I posted about those plans early on Wednesday morning before we went off to exercise. EM walked into the area of the building where our class is held, but rather than exercise (she really isn't ready to resume exercise yet), she sat and chatted with a friend. Our teacher was making a short trip, so I stopped to talk to her for a moment after class.
A member of the class is moving to California, to live near her daughter, so we were going on to a farewell breakfast following class. EM retraced her steps to the car, saying that it was tough going, but she made it. She walked into the restaurant a few moments later.
We had a pleasant breakfast with friends. It's as much a social hour as a mealtime when we go out. We limit the breakfast trip to once a month. Usually we meet to celebrate the birthdays of that month, so we combined that celebration with our friend's farewell.
About 10:45 I went to pay the bill, and EM rose, and said she felt dizzy. The ladies stood with her while I brought the car around, and she was able to make it to the car, and hoist herself in, with just a little help.
I had to drop off books at the library, and send some certified mail at the Post Office, and then we headed for home. It's very hard to quantify Mother's comments about being wobbly or about shoulders that hurt, or other ailments, so I let myself be guided by frequency and tone of voice. I was still thinking that things were going to be all right when we got home.
I pulled into the garage, hopped out of the car and unlocked the back door. I realized that Elegante Mother was speaking to me, and things sounded bad. She said something about it getting dark in the garage...and I FLEW back to her.
She was standing there with her dark glasses off, looking very frail and wobbly, and more than a bit uncertain. I put my arms around her and tried to position her so that she could sit back in the car, but the door was locked. No keys, no phone in hand; I was totally unprepared. EM leaned against me, and said she couldn't stand any longer. She oozed down my front. I helped her to a seated position, and then to lay back. My mother was laying on the garage floor!!!
I called for paramedics. The guys were GREAT! Three firemen walked up our long drive first, and then the ambulance came up the drive. EM was already recovering. They whisked her off to the hospital, and I followed after making a few phone calls.
EM was in the emergency room for some time before she saw the doc, but nurses bustled in and out, and she had several tests taken. I think she arrived about 11:30 or so, and they weren't able to find a bed for her until after 5:00. By then EM was getting just a little impatient, and she would much rather have gone home!
The docs decided that the new medications that were prescribed last week finally amassed a sufficient amount in her system to drop her blood pressure like a bucket filled with lead! The doc decided that EM would have to stick around overnight for observation. By this morning the effect of her drugs had totally worn off, and she was in good spirits. They took her off almost all the drugs, and we'll add them back a little at a time.
We have another visit scheduled with her doctor. It's become a once a week thing lately! I've got to get EM healthy simply because I HATE hanging at the hospital or sitting in the doctor's waiting room.
EM's upper respiratory "stuff" is improving. She rarely coughs now. YEA!!! Maybe health is just around the corner! Don't hesitate to kid me the next time I make sounds like things are under control!