A Day of Wreckening

As Jean said in Church yesterday - "Wednesday was a day of praise and concern for our family." The praise, of course, was Jeff's basketball team winning and being 20-0; the concern was Gram taking a tumble at the foot of her stairs." Wednesday was Chicken and Biscuit day at Church and Gram had taken her pies over and then decided to stay and have dinner with Jean and Tim. They were eating early because Tim was going to Jeff's basketball game and sorry to say, Jean was staying to help with the clean up at the dinner. Then Gram did a lot of visiting with folks she hadn't seen and finally decided to leave about 5:30 or 5:45 to go home and rest! I came home about 8 0'clock, and wondered when I drove in why the upstairs was all dark. I thought maybe Gram had fallen asleep and didn't have any lights on or just plain went to bed very early. I got out of my car and was starting to unload when I heard my name called. I thought I heard it very clear which was unusual thinking Gram was upstairs so thought I'd bettr investigate before taking anything else out of my car. I started off toward the front of her car and saw her laying on the floor at the bottom of the steps. I ran over and she said she couldn't get up and wanted me to help her. The collar of her coat was covered in blood and I panicked. I couldn't get her up and she said she was cold so I grabbed the blanket out of her car and covered her with it. I then ran upstairs to call Ken Stafford to come and help me then proceeded to call Jean, couldn't get her, called Tim and he answered and said to try her again on the cell. By that time the upstairs phone was ringing so I ran back up to answer it and it was Jean. I explained what happened, that Ken was coming and she said she was on her way to our house. By the time I got back down the stairs, Kenny was here. He touched Gram's back, she winced and he said we couldn't move her so he called 911. We waited, but not too long before the ambulance arrived and about 3 other cars with people to help. In the midst of all the excitement Jean arrived as well. They loaded up Gram, talked us into taking her to St. Elizabeth's in Youngstown and off they headed. Jean and I were locking up and trying to find a car that had enough gas in it to get us there and back. So we were moving cars and finally ended up in my car and we took off! To sit in the waiting room over two hours before we heard anything and then only heard something because the minister arrived about 11:30 and he asked where she was. So the three of us trooped off to where Gram was suppose to be only to find out they had taken her to x-ray - so another wait. Finally they brought her back - she was alert and didn't seem to be in any pain. Pastor Dave stayed about a half hour and he left. I sat with Gram till they took her for a ct and then went back to the waiting room to sit with Jean and heard about her expriences sitting out there (I'll leave that story for her to tell - and it's a whopper!). Finally about 5 a.m. the doctor came in, looked Gram in the eye and said "the ct is fine, you broke a bone in your arm. It's the ulna, an insignificant bone and you will need to see an orthepedic doctor. I can give you a name or you can consult with your family doctor for one. We will splint your arm and you can go home." Very rude and to the point and then he walked out. I went out to tell Jean we were leaving - we thought (according to a nurse) they would give us the x-ray results by morning and probably admit her then. So I went back to her emergency room and looked at the bag of her clothes and all I had were shoes, pants and underwear. They had cut off her coat here, so that was in the garbage, they had cut off her sweatshirt and bra at the hospital and were in the garbage there. So the nurse finally said she could wear the hospital gown home and I took off my sweater for her to put on and of course, we still had our blanket! So by 5:30 a.m. on Thurday morning we were trooping home! All of us exhausted and I'm not sure Jean and I have yet recovered any of the sleep we missed. We took Gram today to the orthepedic doctor who said he would just cast her arm because it would heal the same as if he did surgery and there were risks with the surgery. So she is now sporting a cast from the middle of her hand up to almost her armpit! We will keep all of you informed of her progress. I would include a picture but my talents are quite that good.