This will probably be a rambling post, as my thoughts aren’t well organised. I think this thread is probably the right place to post this.
I had occasion to visit Wim’s workplace last night. My Mum had a seizure yesterday, and is now in a medically induced coma, and on a breathing machine.
Initially the paramedics thought she’d had a stroke, which is what Dad told me when he called me yesterday afternoon. Last night, the hospital staff said her heart seems to be good, and she didn’t have any brain bleeds, and they couldn’t find any clots, but they found a large mass in her right temporal lobe, which could be the cause of her seizure, or a result of it. Though cause seems more likely.
She was moved last night to the Austin. They had an ICU bed spare, and they are one of only 2 hospitals with a neurosurgical team, for what may come next. We were very lucky to be able to get her to a hospital with expertise in the right area, and we also managed to gat a quick booking with the state’s only Adult Retrieval Vehicle to move her, which was also lucky. And when Dad initially called 000, the ambulance happened to be driving close by, and was there within minutes. A week ago, my parents were up in the highlands of Tasmania, and an ambulance could have taken hours to respond, and hours to get her to a hospital. They were only over here for a few days, to attend a wedding, so we’ve been pretty fortunate in many ways so far.
We will find out more in the next day or two about how much brain damage has been done due to the seizure, and what surgical options there are, if any, for her. Dad has several degenerative health issues, and one will take him out at some stage, but he’s responded to treatment very well, and has already lived several years longer than initially expected when he got his cancer diagnosis. He is in relatively good health currently. He’s mentally alert, and mobile, but Mum was his carer, and he needs a reasonable amount of care ongoing, as well as medical appointments etc. He had already stopped driving a couple of years ago, and regardless of the final outcome with Mum, she won’t be driving after this, so we’ll need to organise this ongoing.
My sister and her boyfriend have adopted the caravan life over the last few years. He makes a living playing pub gigs and weddings/events, and can get work anywhere he goes, and my sister is a therapeutic masseur, so can also get work wherever they travel. She recently had a fall and suffered a lower spinal injury. She’s mostly better, mobile, and doesn’t have too much pain, but isn’t well enough to massage for an income currently. They had just returned to Victoria from Queensland, so the timing is perfect for them to look after Dad at his place currently.
I have a pretty good relationship with my parents, though I’ve had conflicts with my Mum over some things over the years. They are both Bombers supporters, as are my 3 kids, and my brother and his kids. I take my parents, my kids and another friend who’s a Bombers supporter along to most home games, and some away games in Melbourne, and when some of us can’t make it along to our group of 7 seats, my brother and his kids or other Bombers friends often join the rest of us.
My youngest has turned 18, and we still have all 3 kids living at home, and we’ve been planning a family trip to Europe, while we have some money set aside, and still have the opportunity to travel together. Our kids haven’t travelled overseas a whole lot yet. They all have casual employment currently, and are holding off on finding full time jobs again until after the trip. We are talking with 2 travel agents this morning, about putting a package together for us from July, for a couple of months away. Now, all of a sudden, I don’t know how this all works around what will be an increased need for our input into care of at least Dad, or Mum and Dad, over that time. I’m sure my brother and sister will also be supportive of our parents, but my brother gets busy running his own business, and my sister can’t realistically look after them forever.
Obviously there are too many unknowns at this point to even make concrete plans, so I’m sad, anxious, and a bit conflicted, and there’s not enough information to get beyond that at the moment. I’m sharing here, because it’s a supportive place, and I need an outlet to put my thoughts down.