Heart to Heart

     Almost two weeks ago my mother and father sat my sister and I down in our living room and told us some terrifying news. Mom has a mass in one of the chambers of her heart and has to have open-heart surgery. Woah.

      I spent the entirety of last week in the hospital with my mom. Monday she went in to the ER with symptoms of stroke. They were minor. She was fine. But she had to stay at the hospital until her surgery. She then spent the next six days in the hospital, the days after the surgery in the ICU with tubes sticking out of her and barely getting any rest. It was a long week. I brought her home on Saturday and then we entered the "mumu stage". Literally. I bought her an old lady mumu.

      I tried all week to find the humor in what was going on. I'm really good at finding the funny in a terrible situation. I have a hard time being serious and will always be the first one to crack a joke after the chaos. Maybe that's why I was so exhausted the whole week: constant exposure to people and constant exposure to hospital gloom. A terrible combination for my little introvert brain. Either way...it was hard to find the humor in open heart surgery.

       Today I found the silver lining. Above all of the cards in the mail or the free food being given to us the flowers arriving at our door daily have been the best part. I love flowers. I can't keep plants alive but I love it that other people can and I can buy them. We received a beautiful arrangement just after lunch. I opened the door and literally exclaimed "Holy poop! Those are beautiful!" That in itself made for an awkward exchange between me and the delivery lady who had frizzy 80's hair.

       Having such a menagerie of lovely blooms at my disposal I decided to break out my camera and go to town. Photographing inanimate objects every now and then is a good practice for someone who has done nothing but portraits for months!

I had to throw in one of my cat. For good measure. 

We appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers throughout this journey. I know my mom, who as I write this is approaching hour 3 of her Percocet-induced nap, really appreciates every visit, text, bloom and meal! She is getting better every day. Although she cannot do certain things by herself (like drive) for six weeks, we expect she'll be back to herself in no time!