Long Day

Hi everyone...

Just wanted to give everyone a report on my mother and by far the most challenging day of my life. Thanks to all those friends who have asked and prayed and generally thought about our family while my mother battled ovarian cancer starting back in the fall of 2002.

Here is what my day went like yesterday... a little long, but a little light at the end if you read it...

Wednesday, March 19

10:00 am- I had an eerie feeling that I needed to call my Dad since mom had been struggling the past two days with mobility and nausea along with a fading appetite. So I called and instead got my Aunt Pat who is 13 years older than my mom. She said that mom had been extremely lethargic and hard to get out of bed to go to a treatment that morning. When they arrive at the clinic, the Doctors tell my dad to take her to the hospital immediately, that she is in serious danger. Her potassium level is low. I found Diane and Pete and with knots in my stomach left for the hospital. Lorri, Joe and Mark covered my classes and took the burden away and Yvette is all over the sub! Thanks, Guys!

11:00 am- Mom is admitted to the emergency room at Northside and we have called all the family to rush to the hospital as she was in and out of consciousness. Everyone hurried and got to the hospital shortly before 3 pm to be with her.

2:00 pm- Everyone tries to comfort my mother and let her know we are praying for her. She is unresponsive, other than to adjust her cap she likes instead of her wig. She loses consciousness soon after. From this point on, we try to comfort one another and my Dad who has never once left her side. He is such a tough guy, makes me wonder if he is really my Dad, because I cried the other day when I hit my thumb playing ping pong.

4:00 pm- Mom is moved up to a regular bed with her breathing shallow and she has yet to eat or drink anything since 2 pm. (She had a sip of water at 2.) Some of her closest friends start to show up, but she is not aware of their presence. They are terribly affected.

6:00 pm- No change in Mom's status, and we are beginning to sense we have already said our last goodbyes that could be heard. We huddle together and cry until 8 with a few visits to kiss and hug our mom all the way up to about 10 pm. Dad is sad and is not giving up hope, but he is obviously visibly shaken.

10:00 pm- The grownups with families and kids at home kiss mom goodnight and leave for the evening with heavy hearts. Dad, Olin Jr. (Mom's brother), and myself stay behind to be with her throughout the night. My very close new girlfriend (pause for laughter) Kim and I walk down the hall and cry and sort of chat. I tell her that I wish mom wouldn't hurt and that I miss her already and I just wish I could see her one last time and talk with her. I know we always wish we have more time with those we love, but I prayed that we all could because we didn't have much time to see her that day... especially my sister Susan who had to drive from Blairsville and barely made it by 3:00 after securing loving friends as babysitters for her THREE girls!

11:15 pm- With everyone gone, Dad, Olin, and I agree to sleep in shifts of one hour in the waiting room. The other two will hold hands with mom and continue to pray and talk with her. Stephen Pate shows up after running errands all day and provides us with a lift in spirits, but mom is not in good shape. He can give testament to this when you see him. Thanks, Pate.

I go to lie down if not sleep...

12:00 am- 45 minutes into my "shift," Olin comes into the waiting room and asks if I could come on back in. I choke back some tears and fears of what I am sure is going to be a sad moment and make my way into the hospital room already rehearsing how I will call my sister and brothers and let them know.

There, on her bed, Mom is sitting up and talking to my Dad and her brother and drinking water. She is fully alert and has evidently responded to a kiss on the lips from my father with a startled "WHAT WAS THAT?!" A big weight is removed for the time being as she asks questions like "Whats going on?," and "Why is my vision still blurry?"

Not going to lie... cried like a sissy. Went and scavenged for food in the community cupboard... "borrowing" what I could from the other sleeping patients out of the refrigerator. Mom asks for warm food, and the hospital returns with chicken, mashed potatoes, and peach cobbler. She eats and talks and eats and talks. She hasn't eaten like this in days. She especially liked the popsicle from the person in 349 who stocked them in the fridge. I did, too. Phone calls go out to my family and I am sure they slept well after a fearful few seconds. I wasn't tired anymore. Racquetball anyone? I get to tell her how much I love her and hear how much she loves me again... Wow. May seem small to you, but not to me!

Being the "black sheep" of the Audia's I have always struggled to figure out how God could love me... but I realize He does... even if I don't get Him.

We know we might have just gotten a short reprieve, but thats what we asked for. Mom is not out of the woods and her chances are still very slim, but that settles it for me... JESUS LIVES. Thanks for praying and listening.

See you soon,

Kelly Audia