Hospitals, Hospitals, Hospitals

Here's a short update on the latest happenings of my not-so-boring family. My sweet 87 year-old grandmother, whom I call Oma, has been in Atlanta for a visit recently. She usually lives out in Arizona with some of my extended family. VERY LONG STORY short...she was brought by ambulance to the emergency room here in GA on Tuesday morning with what seemed to be the 4th "seizure" or stroke in the past month. Each one has gotten worse in terms of length as well as her mental state shortly following. She is dissoriented and has little to no short-term memory. She continuously asks how my parents, whom she believes OWN the hospital, can afford to feed all the staff and where exactly their rooms are located. At one point she thought it was 1988. Well, she isn't THAT bad off anymore but...big BUT...

She has to have surgery first thing Monday morning as the doctors have discovered a blockage in her carotit arteries. With more than an 80% blockage, it is vital that the surgery be performed as she is a major candidate for a serious stroke. She has been poked and tested and her little 4 foot 10 inch person is sick and tired of the commotion. In her words "this is all a bunch of rubbish!" That's my grandma. But she's a fighter and I'm trusting that she is placed securely in the fathers' hands. The surgery on Monday morning is very dangerous for a woman her age. But I have come to peace with the fact that after 66 years of marriage, 3 children, 7 grandchildren, and and 10 great-grandchildren, a quick and easy flight to heaven would be ok by me. What I dont' think I could handle would be for her to suffer a stroke and be in a vegative state. Lets all pray for a full recovery or a quick trip HOME!

So that's the happenings in Atlanta this week and next. Please keep my family in your prayers as it has been difficult to see our generally PEPPY Oma go through test after test and needle after needle.