Helpless

I’ve never done this on a blog before, but I really feel helpless. I’m sorry if I am difficult to read tonight, but it’s late, I’m very tired and I feel completely off course.

On Saturday, I received a call from my Mom, which I missed because we were out. When I got home, I listened to her cheerful voice on the answering machine and decided I’d call back on Sunday evening (early afternoon EST Canada). I did. When my Mom picked up the phone, I knew something was wrong and she was in BIG pain. Her neck was hurting. At first I thought: A stiff neck. Then she told me that she fell and couldn’t remember a thing. Obviously, she hit her head when falling. I was very worried and told her to call my best friend, who happens to a) be a very close friend of my Mom’s as well, and 2) lives two minutes from her by car. “I don’t know” she said. “She has a life of her own. I don’t want to bother her.” My reply was: “Then I’ll call her. Keep the phone close by. I’ll let you know. ” I did call Chris. She wasn’t home, but her husband was, and I left the message for her to call or go by and see after my Mom’s condition ASAP. As soon as she got home, she called my Mom and told her to get dressed right away. When Chris got there, she knew immediately that my Mom needed care and took her to the emergency. And not too late, for that matter! She was x-rayed and scanned, and the docs discovered that she had broken her C2 (cervical 2) vertebrae! Luckily, her nerves were not injured or damaged, so no sign of paralysis. But imagine if she had "slept" another night with that injury.

She was immediately transferred to Ottawa and she’s doing ok. I called the hospital tonight (and my call was transferred about 15 times before I got to the nurse in charge. Stupid receptionnists!). She’s wearing a halo traction to keep her from moving her head and I’m sure it’s not the nicest thing to wear, but when I spoke to the nurse, she was talking to my mum and she (my mum) said: “Tell her I look like an angel. I’m wearing a halo.” And I cried. I didn’t know if it was out of sorrow, or her sense of humour.

She’s doing ok, now, but….Damn! I feel helpless! I'm so far away! And I’m terrified.

***UPDATE***

First of all, I want to thank all of you for your thoughts, prayers and recovery wishes for my Mom.

I haven't had a chance to talk to her personally yet, because a) her phone is not yet been installed in her room and B) because she's still in that halo traction harness, but she's doing pretty well and her mood is good, (considering the pain and that very uncomfortable position). The last I've hear is that she will now undergo a number of tests incl. cardiograms and they now think that she suffered a small heart attack, which caused her fall. She does have a heart condition (valve and two bypasses), so it is a possibility. I'll keep you in the loop.