Mom Update

I'd like to begin adding updates on my mother so that family and friends will know how to pray for her, what to expect, and when she needs extra TLC. Bi-polar is a hard road to walk for herself and very hard for her close family as well. I am somewhat treading on shaky ground because I am at a point that sometimes I'm in a reversal role of mother-to-child -- and yet as my mother I want and will respect her role in my life. Please know that I would never bring any disrespect to her but that I know that many people have not had much contact with her because of their geographical distance or just haven't understood her actions and words and have distanced themselves. Sometimes she's my wonderful, loving, faithful, enduring, selfless, nurturing mother and at other times I have to remember that if she is less than those that it is because of the terrible sin in this world that causes such illness. I will always love, support, and care for my mother in whatever capacity is needed. She always took care of me and believed in me and I couldn't do anything less for her.

Mom has struggled with bi-polar since the mid 1990s but more apparently so since 2000, and incredibly so since 2008. Sometimes she feels great and carries on like normal but sometimes she has what I call "episodes" of being more up/manic or being more down/depressed.

Up-to-speed note .. Mom has mostly gone downhill in the last few weeks since Mother's Day weekend after several months of feeling mostly normal. She has become much less aware of personal space and is seemingly desperate for physical affection so she tends to hug closer, longer, and more tightly than the typical person's comfort zone.

Tuesday, May 18th - She insisted on going to the ER. She called Dad who was at a nearby card party to take her. It was a somewhat scare because we heard of it through the grapevine and I went searching for a couple hours before finding her and getting information. After many hours and tests there was nothing physically to be found wrong except her own concerns and overdramatic tendencies in that situation. When in the care of hospital staff and with Dad she would 'deteriorate' to a helpless state as if she were on he deathbed but if she spoke to myself or John on the telephone or in person then she perked up and somewhat immediately got better. It's as if her mothering instinct kicks in to making sure her children aren't overly concerned with her, much like I'd tell my preschoolers that Mommy is okay no matter what I'm truly feeling. The attending MD and her own MD determined that she could be admitted to the psychiatric ward if she desired, which she had previously mentioned, but she turned it down and went home.

Saturday, May 22nd - Around 10:30am our children and I went to their house to visit and to go to a festival up the street from their house. Dad and I both separately spoke to Mom, who was in bed. She insisted she was fine and for us to go on without her, speaking in normal tones and friendliness. Just after 1pm as we were walking back to their house a neighbor met us partway saying that while gone Mom had called 911. We don't know what was said but when the paramedics and multiple police apparently swarmed their home she wouldn't speak so they took her to the hospital along with all medications in sight. The same scenerio unfolded but this time her blood tests showed too-low levels of certain medications. She later admitted to Dad that she had been throwing them away. (He has them set up in daily/hourly pill boxes and gives them to her when he is home and reminds her to take them before he leaves if he won't be.) They decided to admit her into the psychiatric ward to level these out and make changes as needed. I think this is the best decision for right now. So she is at our local hospital for the time being.

Visiting days are Tues, Thurs, Sat, & Sun for 2-hr stints. The hospital phone is 828-286-5000 and after asking for the 5th floor/psychiatric floor the nurse's station will have to confirm with Mom before she can speak. If you call and she can't or refuses to speak please do not feel slighted. Sometimes she's up for it and sometimes she isn't. I have and will visit each available time, including tonight. I'll update later tonight on her condition and how Sunday's visit and tonight goes!

~ Steph