My mom had a really bad single car accident last night in Asheville NC. She will be having neurosurgery tomorrow . That is a big deal . I believe that my mother is going to be fine.
But it brings me to a deeper issue. She is 84 totally healthy, totally deaf without her hearing aids but capable at this time to manage life with her sweet husband Matt who has dementia. But my family is scattered all over the country
In the last 24 hours i have felt the village that we are. This includes me and my sisters, Matts kids and partners who chose to be involved and my mom's dear friends in Asheville, most notably Suzy.
Suzy you saved us last night. You gave us peace of mind to know that Matt would be cared for while the medical team focused on my mother.
I realize the vulnerability of life like i always have as a doctor. That shit happens and we cannot always be prepared.
What i recognize tonight is the value of the system that is in place to respond when help is needed. the village. we must have a system in place where when crisis hits, we have people to respond.
Lessons learned. Know peoples phone numbers which we typically do not know as we are cell phone dependent . In a crisis it is evident.
Make sure you have a list of contacts so you or others may know how and who to contact.
But tonight i realize what a gift it is.
Thinking of how Suzy showed up to spend the night with Matt in case he woke up in the night and did not remember that his life partner was at the hospital. That she contacted the police to figure out what happened and to find that the car was totalled. to follow up with the vet hospital to be sure that Archie, my mom's canine companion was ok. To assure us that Matt was ok.
A total gift ... family and friends.
RSS Feed