Tennessee Teachins': What a Week-end

WARNING: This is gonna be a long one.

This past week Danny and I both were under the weather. We didn't start feeling better until Friday. On Saturday, our Sunday School class had a "Valentine's Day 80's Party." We may show the pictures, we may not. Then Sunday was Calen's sixth birthday. I hate throwing two parties, but since his "Pirate Party" isn't until March 7th, I needed to do something for him. He can, after all, understand a calendar.

I wrestled with the idea of the multiple parties for several days. Finally, I decided to go ahead and have dinner and cake on Sunday with our families after church. This also made since because my mom was coming down on Saturday to watch the kids for us so we could enjoy an evening out. I told Danny that I was going to ask Mom to ask Mamaw if she wanted to come, too, but I kept forgetting until Friday.

Saturday was hectic as we prepared for both the 80's party and Calen's party. My sister called and told me that Mom would be on her way soon and that Mamaw was coming, too. They arrived around 4:30. We didn't have to leave until 6:00. Mom brought some kites, so we took the boys outside to fly them. It was a beautiful, windy day.

We finally were dressed in our 80's best and ready to leave for the party. We had a good time talking and watching everyone dance. The DJ had a projector and showed the videos to the music. It was cool to see some of the videos for the first time (Danny and I are more of 90's kids).

I like to dance, but didn't feel like it. Jax had been sick all week (actually for the past month) and Riley hadn't slept well the night before either. Around 8:30 we started talking about going home. For the next hour it was basically one of asking, "Want to go?" and the other saying, "In a little bit." Finally, around 9:00 we ventured out onto the floor and danced a few songs. It certainly beat dancing with the Wiggles.

Around 9:30 Danny began to suddenly feel worse. Uncharacteristically he said, "I really don't feel like helping clean up. Let's go ahead and go so we won't have to." I laughed and told him, "I should really go check on Riley anyway." She had never had a bottle before and this was the longest we have been apart since she was born. My mom wouldn't call me if she was tied up in the closet. So we gathered our things and left.

We around home shortly before ten to find Mom and Riley hanging out in the chair. Jax was fast asleep, and Calen and Mamaw were downstairs watching cartoons. We talked with Mom for a few minutes, actually asking the basic questions. How were the kids? Where they good? Did they eat? What time did Jax go to sleep? Did Riley do okay? How did she take the bottle? etc.

It was now 10 and Riley was ready to eat before she went to bed. I sat in the living room feeding her and talking with Mom. Danny went downstairs to get Calen and Mamaw. They came up and we continued chatting while Riley ate. Danny told us that Mamaw had said she would sleep on the couch downstairs, but he had told she would do no such thing. We have a perfectly fine bed in the guest room.

Shortly, after I finished feeding Riley, we decided that it was time for bed. We were going to church in the morning. I didn't have the cake made yet, nor were the kids' bags packed for church. We would have to get up early so we would have enough time. Danny and I both went upstairs with Mom, Calen, and Mamaw. We took Mamaw to the guest room. I closed the blinds, turned off the fan, and got another blanket for the bed. Danny turned up the heat a little. We said good night and closed the door. I went into Calen's room and told him and Mom good-night. Danny and I headed down the stairs with Riley. Danny and went to our room to get Riley ready for bed.

I was changing her diaper and Danny was setting the alarm on the clock. We were groaning about having to get up that early. I heard something in the hallway. I sounded suspiciously like Calen slinking to our room. I called out to him in a fairly annoyed voice. Mom was sleeping with him so there wasn't any excuse for him to be coming to our room. No answer. I called out again using the middle name this time. Still no answer. "Calen Reid Lewis what do you want." I demanded in that firm momma voice. As I looked up, I saw Mamaw come to the doorway. "Oh, Mamaw, need somethin'?" I asked. She put her hand to her chest and the other hand to steady herself in the doorway. "I can't catch my breath," she said as she turned and walked away. Danny and I looked at each other. "Alice." Danny called. "Alice!" He took off after her while I quickly finished putting on Riley's diaper. I could hear him calling, "Alice, Alice. Deep breaths, Alice. Does anything hurt? What happened?" I put Riley in the bed and took off down the hallway. Mamaw was sitting on the couch and Danny was kneeling beside her checking her pulse. "Go get your mom, Mamaw's not acting right," he said.

I went upstairs and got mom. It had only been 2 minutes since we said good-night to each other. By the time I got downstairs, Danny decided we had to get her to the hospital. We only live 2 miles away. It would be faster for him to talk her than to call 911. He ran to throw on some pants and shoes. Mom ran upstairs to get her coat and shoes. I tried to put Mamaw's shoes on and told Calen, who by this time was on the stairs watching, to go to our room. Of course, he keep trying to stale. I finally said, "Calen just do as I ask. Mamaw is sick and needs to go to the hospital." Off, he went without another word.

I asked Mamaw if she could get up. She tried but couldn't. I helped her and told Mom that she was weak. She tried to walk, but after a couple steps, doubled over. I yelled to Danny, that she couldn't walk. I called 911, Mom called my sister, and Danny sat Mamaw back down on the couch.

The 911 operator answered and I told her we needed an ambulance to our address. She asked what was wrong, and I told her my grandmother was having difficulty breathing, was disoriented and was gray. She wanted to know her age. I had to ask mom because my mind was blank. Then she asked, "Is she saying she's having chest pains?" To which I responded, "She can't breath so she can't tell us anything!" At this point, Danny had grabbed his bag and said tell her we need an ambulance now. She was in the process of asking some other question when I said, "My husband is a doctor and he said we need an ambulance, NOW!" To which I got, "Okay, ma'am they on their way." All I could think is that this couldn't happen to my mom again so soon.

I called my uncle to let him know that I had called the ambulance to come get Mamaw. While I was on the phone, I saw the life slip from Mamaw as she collapsed on the couch. Danny quickly laid her flat and started CPR. I hung up and tried to distract my mom. She had just lost Papaw under eerily similar circumstances this past Father's Day. I then called 911 again to tell them that CPR was in progress. I went and talked briefly with Calen, and came back and talked with Mom. I could see the ambulance come around the curve, about 1 mile away. It seemed like it took forever for it to make it to our street.

Right as the ambulance was making the turn off the main road, I heard Mamaw cough. The EMS personnel came in and began working with Danny. Shortly thereafter, another ambulance arrived. Our neighbor came over to see what was happening. She offered to keep the kids while I went to the hospital. It was decided that they would take Mamaw to the hospital then air lift her to the JCMC. It had now been about 15 minutes since we had said good-night.

We all arrived at the hospital. First, a stroke or heart attack. Maybe, a blood clot. Then COPD. After several hours, she went from the ER to the ICU. She was on a vent, and it didn't look good. Maybe, if she made it through the night, she would make it. By Sunday afternoon, it was amazing. Not only was she still alive, but she was off the vent. She remembered that, "it hit all of a sudden" and she "couldn't catch her breath." Thankfully, she couldn't recall anything else until later on in the day. When Danny went in to see her, he asked how she was doing. "Not much better than I was last night." To which Danny laughed, and told her she "was doing MUCH better that she was last night."

My mom got a kick out of telling her that she flew in a helicopter to get there. Mamaw has always been afraid of flying and said she never would. Life doesn't always go as planned. We told her we would get her a T-shirt and she can go sky-diving now. She's still a little sore due to at least two broken ribs received from Danny during the CPR, but otherwise no pain. Yesterday, she wanted to walk a bit. She also gets to come home later today. She'll stay with my parents for several days. She says she'll be here for Calen's party on the 7th. I told her she can spend the night- if she behaves.

We are so thankful to our Heavenly Father. His guidance was patient and direct. Even while Danny was doing CPR, I was in awe at the work He had already been doing in our lives a good month before this night.

1. Had there been no parties Saturday and Sunday and she had not come to our house, she would have passed away alone. My sister may have found her late Sunday if Mamaw's friend called to say she wasn't home when she went to take her to church or most likely Monday when my mom would go by to pick her up for work.

2.Had we come home from the party early we all would have went to bed, and she would have passed away upstairs in the bed leaving Calen and/or Mom to find her the next morning.

3. Had we let her sleep downstairs, she would have never had the strength to make it up the stairs. We are amazed she was able to come down our stairs and to our room to make that one, ever-important statement, "I can't catch my breath."

In fact, my mom told me on the way to the hospital that she didn't even ask Mamaw to come with her until that afternoon. She was taking a shower and she said, " I thought, I better ask Mom if she wants to go with me to Jessica's." So she hollered at my sister to call her and ask. Mamaw said, "Why, sure. I just need to get my things together." God's timing is perfect, and we are truly thankful. The glory is all the Lord's.

Mamaw has been diagnosed with Chronic Lung Disease. She needs to quit smoking. Please keep her in prayers as she has been smoking for 60 years. She will require some oxygen as needed, and she will need to take it easy for a while.

In other news. The boys have ear infections. Riley is fine. Danny is feeling better. I have a head cold. My right ear is stopped up, and last night I had an ear-ache in my left. At some point during the middle of the night, my eardrum busted relieving me of the pressure and the pain. It should heal back on its own. This morning I put the oven on Self-Clean. A fire broke out, smoked up the house. I may need a new stove. Four of our caterpillars are now chrysalides and in the next week we will have Painted Lady butterflies, given the smoke didn't smother them.

Okay if you read all of that, then you deserve a laugh.