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Rough week

Started by jwilly3879, January 30, 2015, 10:26:04 PM

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jwilly3879

This has been a really tough week.

Monday afternoon I stopped to check on my 91 year old Mom and found her laying in the snow in her back yard, barely conscious and hypothermic. I called 911 and wrapped her up in all the blankets I could grab. 10 minutes later she was in the ambulance on her way to the ER.

She was suffering from asphyxia pneumonia, hypothermia, frostbite on her feet and had suffered a heart attack.

Today she was up and sitting in a chair reading, all the IV's were out, her lungs are improving and should be released early next week when her one foot starts to heal.

I usually stop everyday between 3 and 4 pm to see her. For some reason on Monday I went about 1:30 and it was a good thing. Best we can figure she was out there close to 3 hours. When she fell, or in her struggle to get up she lost her shoes so her feet were bare.
She's still not sure what happened.

After coming home from the hospital yesterday the fire sirens went off and the truck went by our house and stopped. I looked out the back and saw a huge plume of smoke coming from my stepson's house. It burned to the ground. He and his dog got out but everything else was gone. My first wife and I went through the same thing in 1968,  I got out with a pair of pants and her with a t-shirt but the dog never made it out. We watched it burn, there was no phone within 1/2 mile and the car keys were in the fire. It was an awful feeling watching Jason's house burn and it felt like 1968 again.



 

Always wonder what's next.

beenthere

Very sorry to hear about your Mom, and your stepson's home. Hope you can come to peace with all that is happening, and recover as best you can.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

thecfarm

Glad to hear your Mother is OK. Yes,it was a good thing you went and checked early. I can just about imagine the feeling you had when you found her. Kinda odd the way things work out sometimes in life.
Sorry to see the stepson's house like that.  :(  But glad to hear all is well. Seem to be alot of fires in this area too.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

tree-farmer

Glad to hear your mom is going to be OK, listening to those small inner voices pays off. Glad you found her in time.
Troubles do seem to come in bunches. I find comfort in a saying I ran across some time back.

Everything will be all right in the end; if its not all right, then its not the end.

Kind of a simplistic thing but it help me get through the rough spots.
Old doesn't bother me, its the ugly that's a real bummer.

Chuck White

Sorry to hear of all your misfortunes.

Kind of like Morton salt:  When it rains, it pours!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Swatson

Man, very sorry to hear of your tough week, but very glad your mom is doing better and your stepson is okay.  I wish the best for you and your family.
I cant figure out which one I like better: working with wood or making the tools to work with wood.

coxy

sorry to hear about your mom glad she is doing well   makes one think at just how tuff the older folks are     and don't know what to say about the fire could not imagine coming home to see that    sorry for all that's going on                                                                                                                                     coxy

samandothers

So sorry to hear.  Glad your mom is improving.

Hope your step son can rebuild soon.  Any idea what may have caused the fire?

WH_Conley

Wow, rough week. I know it is hard to look at the bright side, but, it could have been a lot worse in both cases.
Bill

pabst79

I'm very sorry to hear of your misfortune, I hope your Mom gets better and that your stepson can rebuild. Next week has to be better! Best of luck
Not sure which came first, but I have chickens and eggs.

clww

Life is tough, but those two stories are really difficult. We'll hope your mom and stepson both recover soon.
I hope that tomorrow is a better day for your family.
Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

jwilly3879

Thanks for the replies. Talked to the Dr. this Morning and she said Mom's recovery is remarkable. The pneumonia is almost cleared up, her heart is improving with medication and her foot is looking better. She should be released on Monday if recovery continues as it has been. It will be awhile before she is 100% again but she said I'll settle for 75%. We are setting up for a health aide to come in, PT can be done at home but we will need to take her to the wound center to have her foot cared for. She is one tough old bird.

The fire started in the wall in the area of the thimble into the masonry chimney. The chimney was inspected this summer and looking at it yesterday I think that with the weird weather we are having that water may have gotten between the chimney and cabin and froze, cracking the horizontal section of flue pipe.

JohnG28

Glad everyone is ok. It definitely could have been worse, glad your mom wasn't outside in the cold we have now, could have been a different story. Rough with the house too but again, nobody was hurt so that's a silver lining at least. Hope it starts looking up now.
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Jeff

Life sure can find a way to slap you in the back of the head. I find that more and more as I and those around me get older.  Glad your mom is doing better.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

buzywoodliff

Prayers for you and your family

Buckshot00

Brutal.   Good to hear your mom is ok.

jwilly3879

The day I found her it was only 10 degrees but fortunately it was on the south side, out of the wind and in the sun. That probably helped a lot.

I feel for the nurses, the better she feels the more ornery she gets. So far they have all found her quite amusing and admire her spunk.

coxy

 the docs told me that's a good sign  when they start getting ornery  :D :D :D

Autocar

Sounds like good news on your mother but terrible with your step son. Hope he had insurance but if not maybe family and friends can help him get back on his feet.
Bill

jwilly3879

It is amazing how small town responds to a situation like this with donations of clothing, money, furniture, moral support and genuine kindness. I truly appreciate where I live.

sandhills

Very sorry to hear about this, I agree completely on the small towns, but also shows what kind of people you all are to have that support behind you.  I hope everything continues to get better for your family.

lowpolyjoe

Wow - awful week.  Sorry to hear it

Glad to hear your mom is recovering so well and everybody made it out of the house. 

jwilly3879

Here's an update. Mom has mended from her ordeal remarkably, her hands and feet are completely healed from the frostbite and have nice new skin and there was no nerve damage, pneumonia is completely gone. She has recovered to the point she was before all this happened. Complaining she has no energy and is resisting doing the walking (in the house) the Dr. wants her to do, we told her sitting in the chair will not make you feel any better and will be moving her treadmill to the living room so she can do some walking while watching TV.

Thanks for all your replies!

clww

Great to read your update. :)
Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

Magicman

I missed this jwilly3879, but it is good to read this update and that your Mom is on the mend and is recovering.  My heart also goes out to your stepson.  What a tragedy.
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Chuck White

Now that's some good news!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

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