Prayer Update -- Thursday, October 16, 2008

My mother was moved to hospice on Tuesday. We sincerely believe her fall was the result of a stroke and that she had a major one on Saturday or Sunday while she was here. With her under the influence of morphine it was difficult for us to notice anything was wrong.

The doctors tell us her brain damage is massive. What we thought on Monday and were advised, was to be prepared to move to a nursing/rehab facility by Friday. After the neurologist looked over her scans extensively, they cancelled the MRI and told us about the damage and that hospice was our only choice. All tubes and IVs have been taken off of her.

To say the least, it has been traumatic on us three kids. My little brother especially since they live next door to each other and spent 3/4 of their days together. To add to his load, he had to take his wife to ER on Tuesday night with what they thought was a stroke. She is currently in surgery on her brain for what they believe is a tumor. The surgery takes six hours. He has cried and cried and about at his wits end because he wants to be with mom and torn to be with his wife. He is the one that is wheel chair bound.

Please continue to pray for us and our preparations. I truly believe my mother will be gone by Monday. We have spent some quality time with her. She makes sense at times and other times she is baby like in her talk. She had a good day today with her breathing, but her blood pressure shot up to 236/18 this morning so my older brother and I think she may have had another stroke.

She has been comical at times. She keeps jerking her clothes off. She is in a tent bed. It is like an upside down play pen with netting all around so she can't get out of bed. She couldn't walk anyway. She grabbed my hands the other night and said, "Kathy, take me". Yesterday she told my brother she wanted to go home. I told her I was leaving last night and she said, "Thats okay, honey, I'm alright." She sees nothing through her glaze covered eyes. I have taken photos of her and the camera flash doesn't even make her blink. She has not been aggressive and that is truly her nature. She has been quite meek and humble.

ChemoSabe has traveled the last two days. He feels bad he isn't here with me, but we just 'get up, brush ourselves off and go on'.

Thank you for your emails, calls and prayers. Keep 'em comin'.

Good night and Love -- Pepper

p.s. I pray she does not pass away on Saturday as that is my little brother's birthday.