The Quilting Caregiver

     I have been quilting since 1999 and have loved every minute of it.  I have done longarm quilting as a small business from 2000 to 2009 when my world as I knew it fell apart when our youngest son took his own life.  My journey to get back to a "normal" life is still a work in progress.
     My Mom has been needing more and more of my time since I retired from nursing in 2001, but my really big adventure with her started on October 23, 2010.  At the age of 82, my mama took care of her husband, who has a brain injury from a stroke, her very much loved and spoiled Boston Terrier, her home of over 40 years, worked her rose garden, did light housekeeping, and, at times, would venture out with me to shop for fabric.
     We have a small place at the lake and Mama had been wanting to go ever since we got it.  So on October 22, 2010 off we went, my husband, myself, mama, my step-dad and 3 dogs.  We got to the lake and unloaded the car and it was such a wonderful afternoon we decided to take them fishing.  Everything was great and only one dog escaped while loading the parents onto the boat.  Fish were caught, no one fell overboard and all is well.  That evening we roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, the next day we played "cornhole" and my Mama scored the winning point.
      That evening after everyone was in bed Mama decided that she needed to get her dog and put her in bed with them.  I asked if she needed any help and she said she was OK.  Next thing I heard was a big THUD and my DH said "That did not sound good".  I got up and she was flat on her back and out cold.  I wanted her to wake up, but was afraid if she did that she would move around and possibly do more damage if she had injured herself.  Ambulance was called, she was transported to the local small town hospital, CT scan was done and there was a bleed in her head.  She was transported to OKC by helicopter.  Our daughter was called to meet her at the hospital as we had to gather some things, drive and hour and a half and deliver my step-dad to his son before we could get to the hospital.  More CT scans were done and it was determined that there were two bleeds, sub-dural and sub-arachnoid, but that it did not look like any surgery would be needed.  Thank God for those prayers answered.
      I will stop here for now and continue the "bring you up to date" later.  I don't want to make the first post too long.  Bye for now.