“AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!”
Usually when someone screams around here, it’s ME.
But, yesterday it was my mom. And she was falling down the stairs! I don’t even know how—I guess she’s just THAT old.
I didn’t exactly go running to see what was wrong. I assumed Brianna was driving her cray-cray! But she kept screaming.
I found her at the bottom of the stairs, grabbing at her ankle. I was a little freaked to look, but there wasn’t a bone sticking out or anything.
“Brianna!” I called. “Go get Mrs. Tapper!”
Mrs. Tapper lives across the street. She’s a retired ER nurse, so she’s seen pretty much everything. She’s also a super neat-freak, and Mom usually spends about three hours cleaning before she’ll invite Mrs. Tapper inside our house.
But, Mom didn’t even object to Mrs. Tapper coming over. That’s when I knew something really was wrong!
“Is it broken?” I said. “Do you want me to call an ambulance? Do you want me to call Dad?”
“I don’t knooooowww!!” Mom wailed.
It is SO weird when Mom isn’t all on top of everything! I didn’t even realize how much I expect her to always be okay, and always make sure we’re okay. I got her a pillow and a blanket and texted dad. Then I held her hand until Brianna came back with Mrs. Tapper.
(I realize now I should have left Brianna with Mom and gone for Mrs. Tapper myself, since it involved crossing the street. But hey, let’s just say I was teaching Brianna responsibility!)
Mrs. Tapper was all business. She asked brief questions and examined Mom’s ankle. She sent Brianna to get a glass of water, and she sent me to get an athletic bandage. (Luckily, I knew we had those because Dad sprains something every single time he tries to go play racquetball with his high school friends.)
When Dad burst in the door, Mrs. Tapper told him Mom needed to go to urgent care to make sure it wasn’t broken. So off they went, leaving me to get Brianna to bed.
So that was all yesterday. Today, Mom is the queen of the couch. She’s a little dopey on pain meds, but they seem to be working. She just can’t really walk. Her foot’s in this huge boot, which she keeps propped up on this pile of every single pillow we own.
At first she hollered when she needed something. Then she asked for a little ceramic bell in the cabinet. Now she’s RINGING for help every five minutes! I’m not even kidding!!
Ding-a-ling! “Nikki, would you make me some tea?”
Ding-a-ling! “Nikki, I need another pillow.”
Ding-a-ling! “Nikki, would you get Brianna’s lunch?”
Ding-a-ling! “Nikki, I can’t reach the remote.”
Ding-a-ling! “Nikki, would you help me to the bathroom?”
I had to not only help her to the bathroom, but help her out of the bathroom when she was done. I’m sorry if that’s TMI, but it was too much info for ME TOO!! 🙁
Now she’s finally sleeping and I have a little peace! As soon as I’m done here, I’m going to play a little game with Brianna, though. It’s going to be called, “HIDE THE BELL WHERE MOM CAN NEVER FIND IT AGAIN!!”
