The Unexpected Guest

It was two years ago this past weekend. Our town was gearing up for the annual Autumnfest and the library board I sit on was working on a parade float at our house that Saturday. The morning was busy as Paisley had a football game and Lila had softball. We cheered on our children and their teams and headed home in anticipation of the float crew showing up. As I was picking up laundry and dishes, my dad called. During this time, we had a strained relationship due to years of mental health issues. I hadn't seen him or my mother in quite some time, and seeing his name show up on my screen caused a sickening feeling I couldn't explain. I answered and he asked if I could come pick up mom. He had been admitted to the hospital and mom was sitting alone in the emergency room. I was in my car driving east before I could even ask him if he was ok.

As I drove to the hospital, I silently prayed that I could handle whatever I was walking in to. How did I get to the point that my father was having a medical episdode that caused him to be hospitalized and I had no idea that he was this ill. As I grew closer to my destination and was about to see my mom, I kept thinking "Will she recognize me?" She never had issues recognizing people, but after a significant time apart, the small memory issues I had noticed previously had surely gotten worse.

I walked into the ER and scanned the room. There weren't many people in there, but my eyes quickly landed on her. She sat wide eyed, clearly nervous, chewing on her nails and scanning the room. Her eyes landed on me and relief filled my body when she jumped up and hurried over to me. She wasn't sure what was going on with dad and she didn't want to sit there any longer. I explained to her that she was coming to my house to stay until dad was released from the hospital. When I told her it would probably be the following day that he would be released, I had no idea how wrong I was.

We drove home and she chatted, going from happy to see me to concerned about my father. We made it home just as the the board showed up. We started working on the float and mom was unable to help, getting distracted seconds after being given any sort of task. She happily walked around as the rest of us created paper mache magic. I kept a nervous, watchful eye on her as we completed our creation. She kept herself busy inspecting flowers, trees and watching the activity happening around her.

After dinner that night, Scott and I were talking about the live music and fireworks that were going to be taking place in Poseyville that night. Normally I would have happily agreed to a night out in our community but after the days events, I really just wanted to crawl into bed. Scott said he would take the kids and once my mom heard that they were going to head into town to hear music and watch fireworks, she decided she wanted to go to. If she wanted to go, than we all would go.

Mom didn't have anything more than the clothes on her back. I dressed her in a sweatshirt and corraled her hair into a ponytail and off our crew went. To any outsider, we probably looked normal, a family enjoying the night. Internally I was a wreck. I was worried about my father, how sick was he? I was worried about my mother, what was wrong with her memory? I couldn't stop trying to figure out how any of this was going to work out. Everyone happily gobbeled homemade ice cream and enjoyed the evening. The fireworks were beautiful as we soaked up the cool night air.

I was thouroughly exhausted as I tucked mom into Lila's bed, Lila slept on a make shift bed on Paisley's floor, and I crashed hoping I would wake up with more answers than I went to bed with.

The morning did not bring more answers, but it did have a way of making the situation see hopeful. Mom followed me around throughout the day, not being able to really help with any household tasks, but also not wanting to be alone in any room. The kids happily entertained her and we were all excited once it came time to go to the parade.

As Scott drove our side by side pulling the float, the kids rode on the float, I walked next to the float, and I had mom riding in the back of our side by side. She grinned and waved at the crowd lining the streets and at times I would find her laughing out loud. As I walked closer to the side by side and asked her if she was having fun, she laughed and said "I feel like I"m in a parade!" I couldn't contain the bewilderment on my face as I said "Mom! You are in a parade!" She laughed again and contined waving at the crowds. Had I not been walking in a parade at that very moment in the eyes of so many people, I may have busted into tears and collapsed onto the pavement below my feet. What had happened to my mother? Who was this bizarre character that looked like her, but acted so different? How could I fix this?