Sitting in ICU Room #4 I watch a son caress the leg of his mother while she feeds herself banana pudding. They sit and discuss the doctors prognosis and his suggestions for her treatment. With wires and tubes attached to her and machines beeping, I watched the two of them speak with such love and kindness. In one small blink of an eye the son became the parent and the mother became the one in need of her child's advice. He assured his mother that he would take care of everything and not to worry. As he spoke her eye's began to tear up, I realized that the tears weren't really tears, just pride spilling out. She was trying to hide her nervousness with certainty. However, the tone in her voice would crack, she would try to laugh, smile, and hope her son didn't hear the small whimper in her light, sweet Texas draw. I've heard that the women from Texas are made up of grit, stubbornness, determination, vinegar, and sugar. Even in her current fragile condition those traits are easy to see in this Texas lady.
As she lay in the hospital bed recovering from a light stroke, a staph infection, triple bypass surgery, and a mechanical valve replacement she asks me, "Do you like to dance." I answered her with, "I try." The twinkle in her eye quickly returned along with her smile and said, "We'll all go as soon as I get out of this place." I took that as a sign that her strength and spunk never left.
She was moved to the rehab center this week, where her toughness will be put to the test. She has a long road ahead of her, but I have no doubt that it won't be long before this five foot two, go-gettin, gun packin, cross wearin, truth tellin, car burnin, lead-foot drivin, grandma will be back to her old tricks.
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