Reprieve

Lovely Mother's Day present.

Mom is home again from the hospital.

20 pounds lighter.  Able to walk easily and converse without getting winded.  In good spirits.

And minus 2.8 gallons of excess fluid.

The family is transmogrifying into bullies.   We give no quarter.

I have no memories of her parents, my grandma and grandpa.  Grandma was 51 when she died (of "toxic hypertension") and Grandpa had a stroke and died six months later at 58.   Nobody - especially my mom - expected her to live to 83 and beyond.

We're kind of selfish about her.  Like, we will do what it takes to keep her around as long as possible.  Horrible tortures like kale and smoothies and foods made with things like cumin and turmeric instead of salt.

And we are bullies about her taking her diuretics.  Unbelievably, she tried to weasel out of taking one just three hours after getting home this afternoon.

This might not be pretty.