EXILE, DAY 4

I am not the least bit concerned about taking care of my sister this week. No, the big problem is going to be Mom. Have you ever heard the fable about the boy who cried wolf? Well, Mom has been "in excruciating pain" every single day of my entire life, for one reason or another. We have absolutely no way to tell now, when it is truly serious, and when it isn't. One thing we know for sure though, is that she is not going to be happy with Carolyn being my primary concern this visit, and is likely to have some kind of "episode" as a result.

My sister was a nervous wreck the night before her surgery, so I took her to dinner and to see Mamma Mia - the perfect antidote. We were both laughing and singing our little hearts out before it was done! The next morning my niece took Carolyn to the hospital, and I was left in charge of Mom, who was in high spirits. She absolutely loves it when I come to town and she has me all to herself, with no one competing for my attention. She convinces me to run fool's errands for her, that my sister would know better than to undertake, and makes me hem and alter all the new clothes she has ordered, that will never get worn because she hardly ever bothers to dress anymore. She was as happy as could be, as long as I was sitting by her elbow, ready to fetch and carry, but when I told her I needed to go to the hospital after dinner, to relieve my niece, things started to go downhill.

The next morning Mom walked in and announced that she had been up all night with excruciating pain in her shoulder. She said it was from a fall she took several days before I arrived, and she didn't know if she had broken it or what. She screamed and cried every time she moved, but when I suggested I call someone else to come take her to the ER, she didn't seem interested. We had a nice morning, she ate lunch, and then seemed to be OK with me going to the hospital afterwards, where they wanted me to observe Carolyn's session with the PT, so I could help her when she got home. I stopped and picked up Mom's favorite guilty splurge for dinner, Long John Silver's, and she was happy as a clam when I got home. She even watched a movie with me afterwards.

This morning I made the mistake of asking if she was feeling better. "No! The pain is 100 times worse! You don't know how close I came to getting you up in the middle of the night, so you could take me to the ER," she replied. I told her that I could call my other sister Kathy, and make her take off work, if she really needed to go today, or we could let Mom's visiting nurse, who comes tomorrow, check her out. If he thinks she needs x-rays, then my niece Steph would be off and free to take her, but that I needed to be available since Carolyn was probably coming home today. She just shrugged. "I guess you don't feel up to getting your hair done then, huh?" I asked her after breakfast. "I suppose I could try," she answered with a sigh. "And maybe you could take me to that Prima Care across the street from it," she said, lighting up. I said yes, I would do that if she wanted me to, but if they kept her waiting a long time, and Carolyn called saying she needed to be picked up, I might have to leave her there and come back for her. She just gave me a fierce scowl. She didn't mention the pain once while at the salon, or while eating lunch at her favorite restaurant, IHOP.

Now we are back at the house, and I have finally talked to Carolyn. It looks like she may not be coming home until tomorrow. Mom's eyes lit up at the news. "I just might get you to take me to Prima Care yet!" I drooped in defeat. "Whatever you want, Mom. It's your call."