Mom and the Chicken Bone

by Wendy
(www.retirement-online.com)

Mom and Chuck 2015

Written in July 2015, Published 2018 (update included)

As many of you know, my mother, Jennie, will be 89 years old in August.

My mother is my best friend. Sounds weird, I know, but it is what it is. We've vacationed together since the late 70s, Terry and I with Chuck and mom.

People say we are so alike, we don't see that much. Just yesterday, one of mom's bank friends said she couldn't believe how much I remind her of mom. She said our voices and speech patterns are so alike.

We've had that before - many many years ago, mom and Chuck visited Palm Springs where my aunt and uncle lived. The following year, my aunt came back to Michigan for my grandmother's funeral. I travelled back to California with her, I had just graduated high school, and this was my first trip. Bottom Line: People I met, friends and neighbors, said "You must be Jennie's daughter" before my aunt barely introduced me. WILD. Just from my voice and mannerisms, they knew I was moms daughter.

She has survived my father by ten years, though they divorced years ago. She found, and later married, Chuck some 45 years ago and they are completely inseparable.... never saw two people hold hands so much, through thick and thin, in my life. Chuck, mom's husband, is closer to me than my father ever was.

Mom has been hospitalized since Wedneday, and today is Saturday. She has diverticulitis, and had quite an infection. Her white blood count is decreasing so I pray this infection goes far far away from her. I am really worried about this...

As I sit here in the hospital, day after day... I often wonder who would be better off left alone.

Mom or Chuck?

Mom is fairly independant, does all the household work, pays the bills, shops... and helps Chuck with his daily activities. At age 89 she still does all this! Incredible woman, she really is. I pray I age as she has... slowly.

Chuck is pretty dependant on my mom, however, has really shown he can do things himself (age 87) for the past few days while she is hospitalized. I stayed at their condo with him as he is legally blind so needs some help with almost anything in life. I've told him I'm surprised and happy that can can do more than we think he can... he simply doesn't try as Mom does it for him!

Chuck will be absolutely lost without mom. I worry about him losing her. Heck - I worry about ME losing HER!

Just simply asking the Retirement Community to pray for my mother. Send prayer, healing energy, positive thoughts, best wishes... whatever you believe, my mother needs prayer right now.

Thank You! Wendy

April 2018

I just found this post that was never published. Mom is now 91, turns 92 in August of this year.

Chuck is more dependant on her than ever, but they do good together. Still holding hands!

I really wanted to add -- diverticulitis diagnosis was incorrect. In the end, they did an exploratory surgery to find what was happening as nothing made sense to the many doctors visiting her room.

Guess what it was?

The surgeon brings Lorri (sister), Chuck (husband) and I into a private room. He pulls out his cell phone and flashes a photo at us. We looked? We had no clue what he was showing us. What the heck is this?

It looked almost like a sewing needle, a bit thicker, but with a thicker rounder head and a pointy end.

What it WAS: a piece of a chicken drumstick she had eaten (by mistake, of course) days earlier at my home! We had lovely barbqued chicken drumsticks, nice and crispy, for dinner with Mom and Chuck.

She ate, it went down easily, and nobody knew anything was wrong. On the way down, it perforated her colon! Yikes!

And THAT was were all the medical chaos was coming from -- a D*&^ chicken bone!

Next time you eat a chicken drumstick, look for this tiny needle-looking bone. You'll find it easily, I'm sure. DO NOT EAT IT. GRIN!

Mom survived. The surgeon was going to submit it to a medical committee for review. Whether she made history in some medical books is unknown.

She will be 92 in August, Chuck just turned 90 last month!

Life Goes On...

SIGN UP: Retirement Insider