You can never tell...

When my Mom was in the hospital for 32 days, it was a very trying time for both of us.

During the first week at the cold, beige hospital, the cardiologist gave her an echo cardiogram. They bring in this big, stupid machine and it takes pics and scans as they rub her skin all around her heart. I held her hand because at times it was very painful to her, and it seemed to last about 30 minutes or so. It was uncomfortable for her the whole time.

The next day we find out the results of that particular heart test (she would have several other heart tests/procedures). The echo cardiogram showed Mom had two leaky valves. :(

Luckily, the two dysfunctional leaky valves were still working about 60% and the doc said there was no need for a surgical procedure to fix them, nor medicine to take for them.

As I drove to see her at the hospital the next morning, I remembered I had a screwdriver in my middle console. I searched and prodded through the crap in the middle console of my SUV, trying to navigate the steering wheel, and finally found the screwdriver at the bottom of the console as I was driving. My purse was on the passenger side seat and I put the screwdriver inside it.

As I walked through the hallways, navigating through the hospital to get to Mom's ICU area, I wondered how my Mom would react to the screwdriver. Would she think it was funny or would she be upset? She was in ICU at this point and so things were not going so well for her. Would she take it as rude? I decided to still risk it, all the while wondering if someone happened to stop me and check my persons, they would see I was bringing a weapon into the hospital! lol.

I came into her room slowly, and she was awake watching something on the few channels they had and then gave her a big hug and kiss and said my hellos and asked how her morning was going so far. She shared with me what she had for breakfast and commented on her nurse that she liked. I then sat down in the chair in the room and scooted it near her bed and I held her hand. I looked into her sleepy eyes and said seriously, "I brought something for you."

She perked up a little bit, curious to what I brought. Was it another book or a magazine, I bet she wondered. I then took the screwdriver out dramatically with a "voila" type ninja move and she just looked at it. I then said, "well, I brought the screwdriver in to help fix your leaky valves."

I waited for the "WTH" mood or the laugh and luckily, she laughed! Whew! She thought it was hysterical and we both laughed as I added, "well, I don't want my Mom to go around town with two leaky valves for crying out loud."