My dad is okay, now it is my mom

My dad is out out of the hospital and fine. Now it is my mom.

I was visiting her- I had some time off- and we were walking down town and she tripped and fell on the sidewalk. I asked her if she could get up and she couldn't- she couldn't put any weight on her leg. So I had to call 911. What did we do before cell phones?

There was an ambulance ride and a trip the the Emergency Room. It turns out she has a broken patella, and it is displaced so unlikely to mend on its own without surgery. She is on coumadin so they can't do surgery right away- she was discharged with a knee immobilizer and crutches which she couldn't use and a walker that I asked for.

I spent the next couple of days in full OT mode, trying to get her walking with the walker and transferring as best I could. It still wasn't good. And getting into and out of the house- which has steps- was a nightmare. I ordered a wheelchair ramp (from Amazon.com, of course). She lives with her mother and sister- so she doesn't live alone. I hope they can manage with her until next week. Fortunately they already had a wheelchair and raised toilet seat with bars because of my grandmother, along with a tub bench.

Wednesday she has her surgery. I am back at work, but got the time off to go back for the surgery. I have a flight late Tuesday night after I see most of my patients. Fortunately my schedule is pretty light this week- it was totally crazy not too long ago. But by late summer it gets really light. Then it picks up again in the fall.

I need a vacation from my vacation. I think I am going away in the fall- I just have to hope that no one else gets sick or hurt.