For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 

Romans 14:7-8

So we’re back to “square one” with my mum’s hip surgery. Maybe even beyond that. The short story is that we’re back in the hospital; the longer explanation is that nothing is ever quite straightforward when you are almost 92.

Here’s what happened: Hip broken August 17; hip-replacement surgery the next day, followed by a hospital stay and then rehab. Back to assisted living last week, with – apparently – good healing and good walking (with walker) going on. Then, three days ago, the onset of extreme pain and restricted movement and almost no sleep at all for three nights.

So, we went back to the surgeon’s office Tuesday morning. One quick look and he sends us to the emergency room so mum can be admitted ASAP; he wants to do surgery the next day. Of course this takes all day all evening and then some.

Now here we are with some difficult things to think about. Mum has an infection deep in the surgical site and the surgeon calls this “a major setback.” Surgery could be a simple clean out and close up. It could also reveal infection “in the tissue” and require removing the replaced hip and waiting two months to put in another new one. That would be two major surgeries.

Mum doesn’t want more surgery – but she is in pain.

Here’s what I said – around 9;00 Tuesday evening. I went to the PA and the admitting physician, and I said I need to talk with whoever it is who coordinates my mum’s care because – and I understand this is really the critical piece of the conversation: “What’s important,” I said, “is my mother’s pain. Being comfortable is really the only thing that matters.”

So I talked at length with the hospitalist. At the moment it looks finding the root of the infection is the same as dealing with the pain. So, as of now, surgery is on. Things may change in the morning.

Right now it’s a little after 11:00 Tuesday evening. – DEREK