Today I'm Grateful For . . .

Nana walked!

Four weeks ago yesterday, Nana was rushed to the hospital. She had been asleep for 24 hours and the assisted living facility was unable to wake her. Once arriving at the hospital, she was diagnosed with a severe urinary tract infection (this would be the second or third since May), an obstruction in her esophagus that prevented her from swallowing, and internal bleeding. The hospice people and her doctor told my mom that Nana had 2-6 weeks to live and that because of her weakened state, there really was nothing they could do for the internal bleeding. While in the hospital, she also developed pneumonia.

Most days when I would call, she had no idea who I was and could not even speak to me because the hospital kept her so drugged up. Each time I called, I would just sob and sob and sob. I hate seeing Nana in this state.

But Nana is a fighter and on Friday night, she was discharged and my mom moved her to a nursing home for rehab (hopefully). She will never be able to go back to the assisted living facility, but at least she'll be comfortable and well taken care of.

I'm not naive enough to believe that Nana will get well and will live another 10 years. She's 91 and has lost almost 30 pounds since May. She weighs a mere 80 pounds and is a shell of her former self. I know that we're at the end and every day I can tell her I love her and hear her sweet voice, even if she doesn't know who I am, is a gift and a miracle.

I just spoke to Nana and the nurse told me that the physical therapist helped her to walk for the first time today! The tears I cry today are tears of joy, not the tears of sadness I've been crying for the last four weeks. She'll probably never walk again on her own, but the fact that she's walking at all is more than I had allowed myself to hope for four weeks ago.

Nana walked today. And for that, I am grateful beyond words.