For the next 5 days I tried to relax; tried to enjoy my husband and kids because I had a feeling that this would be our last chance for a while. But my mind was back in Winnipeg. I knew that my Mom was now stable but there was a chance of another emergency at any time. And I felt so guilty about having left when she was in such a bad state; even if there was no way for me to know what was going to happen. After leaving Minnedosa we went to visit my Dad’s sister in Saskatchewan. It was comforting to be with family at such a difficult time. Of course cell service was spotty at best so I was thankful for my Aunt’s land line to keep in contact with my sister.
Friday night we stayed in Brandon, 2 hours from home. When we got up it was pouring rain and I just wanted to get home. We had to drop our speed and actually come close to a stop on the highway a few times because I could barely see the road. But all I cared about was getting home to see my Mom. We drove in the driveway and it was still raining but not as hard. Pasith took the kids in the house and helped me get the luggage in. I threw everything in the back door into the kitchen, said bye and left. I got to the hospital early afternoon and was in a near panic to get up to the 7th floor. I hadn’t spoken to her yet, only my Aunt A. and my sister. The rain had finally cleared.
There she was in her bed by the window with a beautiful view of the Red River. She had the tube out of her nose and they were allowing her broth and light foods. She was so excited to tell me about how much better she was and wanted to know how our vacation had been. I told her that I didn’t want to talk about it because I felt guilty for sitting on a beach and visiting family while she had been in such a horrible situation. She said that she had wanted us to have a good time and had hoped that we wouldn’t come home. She wanted to know about our vacation to take her mind off what she was going through. Mom was allowed to go for short walks and wanted to show me how well she was doing. So we went down to the end of the hall to the visiting area over looking downtown and both rivers. While we sat there we got caught up on most everything; except her condition. She didn’t offer up much information on what had happened or was going to happen just what she had to and then asked if I had spoken with my sister or Auntie A. I knew Mom well enough to leave it alone. I helped her back to her room and said I had to go to the washroom. I went down the hall to the nurses desk and asked how she was really doing. Surgery was still a possibility but it depended on her condition. They had drained off another liter of fluid from her lungs, so that was 3 ½ litres in 2 ½ months. They were going to have to “tap” her lungs to get rid of the fluid once she was well enough.
I stayed till about 9:30 that night, went home overwhelmed but relieved to be back.