Three weeks after one of the most difficult legs of this journey, we are all back again; each of us is trying to adjust to a new "home". Mama Marian was transferred on Thursday to McLean, I left on Wednesday to try and pick up the pieces again in Virginia, and Dad continues to go home each night to a seemingly unfamiliar, much quieter house on Christmas Tree Hill.
The last few days of Mama Marian's stay at UCONN Hospital were calm, for the most part. Ann Newkirk threw me the best hospital birthday party on Sunday afternoon in Mom's room. Grandma and Grandpa came with Aunt Kathy and, of course, Dad was there too! I was spoiled with gifts and ice cream cake and Mama Marian sang "Happy Birthday" to me. It was such a nice surprise and I had Mom reminisce as best as she could about the night I was born... as she and Dad have done every year for the last 29 years.
Mom's big brother, Uncle Bob, came to visit and so did Pat and Steve again. May spent time with Mom before she took off to Woodstock and even brought Anja and Baby Sasha to visit! Every time Mom heard a baby outside of her room, she was convinced it was Sasha or Lorien.
So, the last few days at UCONN were relatively uneventful. Mama Marian did fall out/climb out of bed twice; once over the weekend and again on the evening before she was discharged. The doctor ordered a CT scan to make sure Mom had not broken anything. The scan showed increased calcification and edema around the tumor, even in comparison to the one just done on the 2nd of August. These may be attributing to some of the speech deficits and confusion, but we remain pretty much in the dark about how, what, or why... as we have for so long.
I said "goodbye" to Mom after Dad and I visited The Governor's House in Simsbury and then went to look at McLean in Avon again. Although I spent most of the day in between choking back tears and sobbing outright, the visit to McLean helped to ease some of my own anxiety about leaving. The facility is like a campus and it was like night and day between the two places. Seeing where Mom would stay at McLean and talking with the staff made knowing I had to have my 57 year-old mother go to a nursing home a little bit easier.
Her room is at the edge of the woods and it is private. She can even have Indiana and other pets come to visit her. And, of course, we are allowed to come in and out any time of the day or night! My goodbye to Mama Marian was the hardest thing to do, especially because she did not really understand why I was leaving or how long I had been there. She looked at me in a puzzled way as I cried and had a big bloody nose all over her... it must have been an interesting sight to the nursing staff and other onlookers. So, I left her with several kisses, hugs, and a poster with photos and other memories to bring with her to McLean.... and looking somewhat gruesome from the blood all over her hospital gown.
Dad insisted on taking Mom to McLean in the Subie instead of having her transferred by ambulance. This was a great way to go, especially because we were terrified of having all hell break loose again in the transition. It went fairly well, although Mom had to be sedated a bit in the evening as she became agitated after Dad left. She only slept for two hours the first night, but slept through last night and was apparently a bit clearer today. She has had a few visitors already and Dad has been able to spend tons of time and eat meals with her each day as well. Having her so close to Canton makes it easier for everyone and, if she can't be home, it is the next best place for now.
