My Frantic Mother

My mother was in a flat spin. Completely worked up about going for surgery that is potentially life threatening. She kept checking and double-checking her bags, trying to decide if there was anything of importance that she had forgotten. She was looking for her slippers, everywhere, and just could not find them. These are brand new, she bought them in Nelspruit on Saturday, specifically for the purpose of having presentable PJ's whilst in hospital. Mom does this every time she or one of us is hospitalized. New PJ's are bought, she does not want anyone to look trampy or uncared for.

At one point I was running around the house, trying to think of places mom could have missed. Then it dawned on me that I was being stupid. I sent Tim a message and asked him

"Does Gran know where mom's new slippers are?"

His response came within a minute

"In a box."

At first I was confused, which box? Then I remembered, we had taken Christmas Decorations along in a box on Saturday, so my dad could take it to Mozambique, we are going to be putting up the tree as soon as we get there. He had unpacked the decorations and left the box for us, and we piled stuff in the box, mom's slippers included. I ran to mom and told her Gran said her slippers were in a box. And she immediately knew where to look. They were there, just as Gran said. One crisis averted, but mom was still panicky. Then she said something completely unexpected. She looked at me and said

"Ask Tim if Gran can think of anything else I have forgotten."

She has never done this before. I sent him the message and he came back with:

"A brush and a book? That's all she is showing me."

Mom smiled, she had packed a comb instead of a brush and she had almost forgotten to take a book along.

Leaving her at my cousin's place was difficult. My cousin lives 5 minutes drive from the hospital, so she kindly offered to take mom. She hugged me so tight, and we both cried. I reminded her that Gran had told us repeatedly she would be ok, and that we love her very much. It was difficult to say goodbye.

My aunt (bad feelings in aunt "S" house) went with me to take my mom to Pretoria that night, and she seemed very scared of what is in my house. Ironic, considering her house gives even Charlie the creeps. When we got to her house, she was undecided about staying there or coming home with me, so she ran into the house to see if her flat tenant was still awake. Whilst sitting there, in the dark, the car's central locking suddenly kicked in (Charlie feeling we were unsafe) and I had the worst feeling that I was being watched from the house. Every shadow moved, and standing in the driveway, outside of the gate, I felt very uncomfortable about being there. My aunt told me she would be sleeping at her house, and we could sleep there. I immediately, and as respectfully as my nerves allowed, declined and told her we'd be fine at home.

I had the boys in bed and finally got into bed myself. I lay there, listening to the sounds of the house, nothing ominous, nothing worrying. I could not help from worrying about my mom and what the next day in theatre would bring. Then I felt a poke in my back just as I was half drifting to sleep, I asked Charlie to keep us safe and calm, then prayed a prayer of protection over us all and finally fell asleep.