Home sweet home (or close enough)

On Saturday, accompanied on the flight by my brother Paul, our mom flew from Denver to the Twin Cities. Her week long trip to visit my sister Mary in early August was rudely interrupted by a fall which resulted in a hip broken in four places.

As you may recall, she had broken a hip in January and finally recovered from that when she had this fall in August. This time it was her other hip.

I never had any idea before how complicated it can be when a loved one gets hurt far from home. Our sister Mary in Denver was physically there for her--it was very stressful, especially when she drove mom from the Regional Hospital where she fell to the rehab/nursing home in Denver about 10 days ago. Our sister Alice is a wonderful public health nurse and coordinated everything with the hospital, the nursing home in Denver and the rehab center in Minnesota.

Our brother Neil was the one driving on the original trip to Denver so he did everything he could, including comforting our teenage niece who was also on the trip and felt awful that she couldn't catch grandma when she started to fall at that rest stop.

Our dear brother Paul who works for the airline took care of all the air transport was so gentle transporting her from seat to wheelchair and vice versa on the long flight home.

I did the best I could--researching and booking hotel rooms right away for the family with her when mom was admitted to the hospital, and I also went to Denver last week to just spend time.

She's not really home yet. She's in a wonderful rehab facility about a mile from where she lives, but since she spent so much time there with the first hip break it almost feels like being home and among friends there.

Mom's seventh grandchild is due in a few months (yeah N&M!) so she's got every reason to work hard to be independent again. She sounded so happy and relieved when we spoke on the phone yesterday. Her time in Denver was not the best and she sounds like a new woman!

Thanks to everyone who offered their thoughts and prayers. And a very special thanks to all of my family who really did a FANTASTIC job. I love you all. -Monica

Mom before any broken hips with Neil and then eight month old Danny. 

(Wow, that's how old Benji is now!)