I feel that I should be sharing this experience in my life since it was a roller coaster ride for me but it touched my heart and made me realize a lot of things.

It changed me into a better person.

Last January 27, 2017, my mother had a mild heart attack.  It was the worst nightmare I had and I wouldn’t want that to happen again not even to my mother.

I am the youngest in the family. I have an elder sister.  I am a single mother of two girls. My Eldest child is 20 years old and my youngest one is 9 years old.  I live with my mother who is now 72 years old.  She has been there with us through thick and thin.

Life has been challenging for me but I thank God he gave me people who served as angels and one of them is my mother.  When I was still young, she used to be very strict and I am always guarded by my own “yaya” even until college.  That’s how it works because my mother loved us so much in her own way.  But I didn’t it see it that way.  Her overprotectiveness in the past made me think she does not trust me at all.

I am a daddy’s girl and unfortunately, he died at the age of 57 due to aneurism and asthma.  It was a very sad experience for me because that was the time when I just gave birth to my eldest daughter and few weeks after he passed away.

When my mother had a mild heart attack, we sent her to the hospital right away.  She was given medications but she refused to be injected with a medicine that will affect her blood.  That medicine was referred to as “blood thinner”.  She refused to be admitted to the hospital because she still can breathe and she felt fine.  So we got back home then while she is taking all the medications given to her.

 

 

The next day, I called up for an appointment with her doctor.  But we were scheduled to another day.  Then on January 30, 2017, we got the results of my mom’s series of tests.  Everything was fine except for one thing. Her Troponin level on the blood tests elevated and according to the doctor, it was already very alarming.

I can’t believe what I heard from the doctor that my mother was having a heart attack.  We were then accompanied to the Emergency room of Davao Doctor’s Hospital where we waited for long hours before her admission. 

My mother doesn’t want to be admitted but I felt that it was the right thing to do.  It took me an hour to convince my mom that she needs to be treated right away. So I called up my sister about it and she also agreed with the doctor’s decision.

Few hours later, we have a semi ward for my mom and she was dextrosed in the hospital. It was so hard for me to look at my mom in this kind of situation because she never got so sick before.  I felt like crying and wanting to shout but I kept my composure because I want to be strong for my mom. 

I was so worried about her because she was having a mild heart attack.  It was just surprising for me that she never felt pain or even had a  hard time breathing.  There were no signs of her suffering whatsoever.  I was a little bit confused and could not believe it but the blood tests results said so. 

The room was like a private room because there is a wall in between the patients’ bedrooms.  But the space was just enough for a patient and one watcher.  The noise can also be heard aloud most especially if there are visitors around.

While my mom was still recovering in the hospital, I didn’t lose hope that she will be discharged very soon.  Unfortunately, I lost hope when the doctor told us that we will be spending our New Year’s day in the hospital.  She has to be observed yet. 

Good thing was the chapel’s so near to our room that I can just go there anytime I want to.  I can speak to the Lord and ask His help.  Every night before I go to sleep, I go there and pray until I can sleep.   

I had sleepless nights but I still got the energy to take care of my mom.  My sister get to visit her too but she can’t stay late because she was not also feeling well that time.

I just realized that it is good to have a large family also because you can have other siblings to give you moral support.  I am not complaining but there will be times when you also need to rest and restore your energy but you can’t because you have a patient to take care of.

But during those times when my mom was in the hospital, I was more patient and more understanding of her situation.  I didn’t complain a bit and when mom needs me, I was always there by her side.

And during those times I see her in bed being dextrosed with a small machine beside her, I would only wish for her to be well and promise myself that I will love her more than my life.  I even wished it to be me instead of her on that bed.

I am just so grateful to the Lord that she can talk well and that the medicines are working in her body to heal her slowly.  My mom can withstand the pain she feels.  I adore her for being a loving and caring mom to us.

She sacrificed a lot for us.  I felt it is time for me to take care of her too.

I didn’t realize that she is getting old and she can’t do a lot of things like she used to do.  It is difficult for her to accept it because she is a very energetic person and she walks faster than I am whenever we go out together. It is true. I am not joking.

I really celebrated New Year’s eve at the hospital with my mom for the very first time.   I felt it was the saddest moment in my life.  But I tried to do something about it.  I told myself the most important thing is for my mom to be totally well and nothing else matters.

At the stroke of 12 midnight, I decided to go down and went outside for a while.  My mom was sleeping then and I told the nurse to watch over her while I am gone.  When I got outside, I talked to the guards and housekeeping staff including other nurses.  We saw a lot of vehicles that passed by and people inside greeting us a “Happy New Year”!  There were tricycle drivers who continued honking and others had cans or other noisy things tied to a rope and attached behind their vehicles to make a loud sounds.

It was a wonderful sight for me.  I forgot the simple things that can be done to make your New Year memorable.  It is not the bounty food or material things that matter most but it is how you celebrate New year in the most meaningful way. 

I even got new friends!  I witnessed people from all walks of life celebrating New Year outside the hospital.  I didn’t even do this before.  As I went back to the room where my mom was, my face lit up and felt hope inside.  I was happily contented to eat the spaghetti and salad I bought.

 

The next day was the most wonderful gift God gave to our family as my doctor arrived in our room to check on my mom.  He told us that my mom is ready to be discharged that day as she is getting well already.  That was absolutely the best thing I heard since we got in that hospital.

God did a miracle in my mom’s life, He saved her. 

That day when we were about to be discharged, I thanked all the nurses who took care of my mom.  They wished her well too.

I am my mom’s private nurse at home.  It is a good feeling that now I am able to take care of my mom.  I would like to triple the love she gave to me when I was still a baby until I grew up.  

I love my mom so much and I can tell her that over and over again. 

I am sharing this through my article because I want to tell all those who have mothers out there how lucky they are to have them in their lives.  Spent time with them and give them the best love they could ever have while they still can.  They deserve it.

It is always good to hug and say the words, ”I love you” everyday. I always do that to my mom before I go to work.   

Right now,  I promised myself that my mother will be my priority and even when my schedule gets busy as ever,  I will cancel it right away if she needs me.  I prayed to God to give her more years to live with me so I can show my love for her because for me,  she is the best mother in the whole world.