The Sand Man Cometh

Merrym was coming home from the hospital after having the surgery to finally cover the hole in her hip. I was waiting at her house for the delivery of a special bed she would be in 24/7 until further notice. I prepared a spot for the bed where she could watch TV, see outside, and see her Christmas tree. Basically where she wouldn't feel like a prisoner in her own home.

When they told me she would have a special bed, my mind was still thinking regular hospital bed with extra attachments and features. Boy was I surprised! The delivery crew brought in an object the shape of a bathtub, about waist high with no mattress, not even a box springs. It was completely empty. Then they started bringing in several rubber garbage cans full of a special kind of sand. They filled the bed with this sand, until it was within 3-4 inches from the rim, which was made of rubber. A motor was attached that caused air to blow through the sand, which in turn caused a continual massaging motion. Merrym was to lay directly on the sand with only a thin moisture barrier and a sheet under her. She was delivered home in an ambulance, the paramedics placed her in the bed and my work began.

We had purposely scheduled the surgery a few days before my Christmas break, so I would be home to take care of her during my time off. Merrym could only have her head propped up with a pillow. The TV had to be put up higher so she could see it. She had to drink from bendable straws since she couldn't sit up. We either had to feed her so she wouldn't get food all over herself or fix things like sandwiches so she could feed herself.

I slept at her house and basically lived there for a few weeks. Merrym had to be sponged bathed daily to keep the germs from her wounds. The bed pan had to be set under her when necessary and I had to take care of all her personal needs. I had gone through a couple of surgeries taking care of Merrym before this, but this one was an extremely humbling process for me. I had changed Merrym's diapers when she was a baby, but never thought I would be taking care of her in this fashion at a later date. But she was my sister and as we have mentioned over and over, "You do what you have to do".

As I mentioned, it was Christmas and Courtney had a special part in a Christmas program at her church (Merrym was attending a different church than me at this time). Courtney was devastated when she realized her mother wouldn't be able to go see her. We worked it out so that we had everything that Merrym could possibly need for an hour. We had her drink and the remote so she could reach them. We even left the bed pan under her, just in case. I went to the program and watched Courtney, then went home and told Merrym all about it. A friend of Merrym's also filmed it. On Christmas Eve and Christmas day we had scheduled some of Merrym's church family to come and spend time with her so I could have a few short breaks.

It was a difficult, but a bonding few weeks for Merrym, her children and myself.

This is My commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his brother. Ye are my brothers, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
John 15:12-14

Love, Mother Hen Glory