SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2021 - SATURDAY STORY

 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2021 - SATURDAY STORY

This is a work of fiction

*****

Jessica got the call at work at 10:00.  Her Mom had fallen and had laid on the floor for a while before somehow crawling to her phone.  It was very hard to understand her on the phone - maybe she was a little delirious or weakened by the fall.  It was hard to say.  It seemed as if she was at home and hadn’t called anybody else.  

Fortunately, Mom was fairly close - about 20 minutes from Sioux Falls to Dell Rapids.  She immediately told her administrative assistant that she was leaving for the day.  Yes, there were oodles of activities on the calendar, including a meeting with the School Superintendent about budget items for next year.  Oh well, those would have to wait.  Could a middle school run for the rest of the day without a principal? Well, it would have too!!  

She called 911 and gave them Mom’s address in Dell Rapids.  She indicated she was on her way.

She made a quick call to David, her husband, and asked him to call her brother and sister, and also to let the children know.  She called the superintendent’s office and let them know, and left the school - four minutes after the call came in.  Fortunately, the traffic on Cliff Avenue wasn’t too bad, and the stoplights (the bane of her life) weren’t too bad and she made it to Mom’s house in 19 minutes. (Yes, she might have exceeded the speed limit ‘just a little).  She was praying all the way for Mom, for wisdom, for help, and for her family.  

Mom was 85 and had some other health issues - diabetes, overweight, a knee replacement, high blood pressure, and more.  

She got to Mom’s house as the ambulance was parked in front and the front door was open.  “Good,” she thought, they would be the first to get to her. She ran up the steps as a paramedic was coming out.  

Breathlessly, she asked, “How is my mother?”  

*****

Jessica's Dad had died two years ago and Mom continued living at the same house they had lived in since they married, 48 years before.  It was a block from St. Mary's Church (where she attended daily and Sunday Mass), close to the Dell Rapids Senior Center (in the old St. Mary's school building), and she still drove.  Fortunately, Dell Rapids had not grown as fast as Hartford or Lennex and Jessica felt that Mom was safe driving in Dell Rapids.  She didn’t allow her (as if it made any difference) to drive to Sioux Falls, but Sioux Falls was the shopping location for the tri-state area of South Dakota, Minnesota, and Northwest Iowa.  It was hard keeping Mom from driving to the thrift shops and Empire Mall.  Mom insisted she was healthy and able.

Mary Pinsky did try to walk a couple of miles on good weather days.  The Dell Rapids Senior Center did have a small gym and there were Silver Sneaker classes.  Knowing her diabetes and overweight conditions, she tried to be careful, but when Marg Wolf brought cookies to bridge at the Senior Center she just had to have one (or two or three).  Marg was her best friend and would be offended if Mary didn’t sample at least one (or two or three).  

*****

Jessica thought she recognized the EMT.  She thought he was a Fenster from a couple of years behind her in school.  Was this one Mike, Tim, or Joe?  

But Tim Fenster helped her out.  “Hi”, he said, “I think you are Jessica Pinsky, or rather were Jessica Pinsky when we were in school.  It's been a few years.”

“Thank you Tim”, she answered, “I couldn't remember which of the Fenster boys you were.”

Tim laughed, “Yes, I do get called Mike every now and then.”

Then he went into EMT mode.  Your Mom had quite a fall.  I don’t know if she blacked out or tripped on something.  I’m suspecting a broken hip.  She is bruised on her left side.  I think she may have laid on the floor for a while before crawling to get her phone.  She knocked over the end table where the phone must have been.  That effort must have really been hard on her.”

“We are taking her to Avera Hospital in Sioux Falls.  The Dell Rapids hospital is good, but we think she might need some specialized help.”

Tim asked, “Is that okay?”.

Jessica nodded, “YES - take her to Avera in Sioux Falls.  Her medical records are already through Avera both here and in Sioux Falls.”

As an afterthought, she asked, “Can I follow you?  Are you going to the emergency room at Avera?”

Tim nodded (and said), “Yes, we’ll be going soon.”  We might run our lights, so you don’t need to follow us too closely”.

Mary Pinsky seemed to be unconscious as Jessica planted a kiss on her Mother’s forehead, and whispered a short prayer over her Mom.  But Mary Pinsky opened her eyes a little and a little smile came over her face. And almost immediately her eyes closed again.

*****

Tim was good to his word.  They did drive to Avera McKennan in Sioux Falls and they did drive faster and with their siren and lights flashing.  Jessica lost them before they were out of Dell Rapids.  

*****

Jessica called David and said they were heading to Avera McKennan in Sioux Falls.  (Of course, older folks will remember it as just “McKennan” but the regional clinics in the area had been united under the Avera banner.)

Knowing she might be a while, she drove through McDonald's at Cliff and Easy 60th Street North and got a Dr. Pepper.  She figured she might need the caffeine!!  Then she continued down Cliff to McKennan Hospital.  Parking she went into the Emergency Room door.  

“May I help you?” asked a receptionist.

“Yes,” Jessica answered.  My mother Mary Pinsky was just brought in by ambulance from Dell Rapids.  Where should I wait?”

The receptionist nodded, and added, “Can you help us with some paperwork?”

“Sure”, answered Jessica.  “What do you need?”

The receptionist turned to her computer scene and asked, “Is your mother allergic to any drugs?”  

“Hmm, I don’t think so, other than maybe penicillin,” added Jessica.

“How about her birthdate, and address verification.”  continued the receptionist.

Jessica answered, “She was born on August 24, 1939, in Dell Rapids.  She lives at 425 East 8th Street in Dell Rapids”.

“And, what is your cell number?” continued the receptionist.

Jessica gave her phone number.

The receptionist looked up and smiled.  “That’s what we have.  We just had to verify that.  There is a family waiting room around a corner” (She pointed).  There is coffee and snacks there.  I will put your name into the record so the staff can let you know the status.

*****

Jessica went into the family waiting room.  There were two others in the room, an elderly gentleman, and what looked like a nervous husband.  

These two came and went and others came in over the next two hours.  Fortunately, she was the only one in the room when the doctor came in.  

“Are you Mrs. Lange?”, asked a doctor.  His name tag said “Richard McCarthy, MD”.

Jessica nodded. 

The doctor continued, “Your mother is resting now.  She’s had a busy morning.  Her hip was broken, not just cracked, in two places, so we did an emergency hip replacement.  She was quite bruised by her fall.  Her blood pressure was high, and we’ve put her on an IV to lower that.  But, she seems to have gone through it quite well.  She’ll be coming out of anesthesia in the next while.  We will be suggesting a rehab center for a few days to get used to the new hip and recover from the surgery.”

“Is she okay?”, asked Jessica.

“Yes, but definitely shaken.  I didn’t talk with her as she was under anesthesia when she came in and is coming out now.  She will have pain.  And, like similar surgeries, the sooner she gets on her feet and walking the faster and better her recovery will be.” said Dr. McCarthy.  

*****

Jessica was directed to her mother’s room.  She entered quietly and sat in a chair.  Nurses came and went, checking her vitals and seeing she was still resting.  About 45 minutes later, she started to stir and opened her eyes.  Jessica said “Hi Mom”, and Mary Pinsky seemed happy to see her daughter.

*****

That was the start of a decline in Mary Pinsky’s health and attitude.

Next Saturday, we’ll look at what happened to Mary Pinsky and how Jessica Lange and her siblings adjusted as their mother declined.

LOVE WINS

Karen