Draining Day

Today started out ok. I slept in again (I can't seem to get enough sleep this weekend) and then puttered around getting things together for church. DH took off to do some photography, and I got dressed for church.

Ten minutes before church was to start my cell phone rang. I instantly was concerned that it was my employer. It was. He stated that he needed to take his wife to the ER and asked if I could come take care of the girls. I immediately told him I could and that I had to call some people at church and then I'd come over. Of course, I couldn't get a hold of anyone from church since they were AT church. I drove to the chapel and found a friend who agreed to do the children's music for me.

I headed home and changed out of church clothes and into nanny clothes and headed to work. I was shocked by my employer's appearance. This is not the woman I know. She has deteriorated fast. She was restless, confused and looked very, very tired. The girls were happy to see me. My employer eventually was able to get his wife ready to leave and then he took her to the hospital.

I took charge on the home front and got the girls lunch and then ready for naps. They both took good naps. During nap time my employer called and filled me in. He told me that his wife would be staying at the hospital and he wanted to try and stay until a Dr. was assigned to her. He asked if I could stay a few more hours and get the girls their dinner. I readily agreed.

The girls woke up and we watched part of a Disney movie and then I fed them dinner. Their dad came home and we had a quick talk about how to handle the absence of their mother. Originally, he wanted to tell them that she had flown to be with her ill father (who passed away last week), but he brought up the idea of telling them the truth. I pounced on that and he decided to go that way and asked me to stay as he told them.

After the girls were cleaned up from dinner, he held one and I held the other and he told them that 'mama is sick and needs to stay at the hospital with the Dr's and nurses until she gets better.' The oldest asked 'how did mama got sick?' He told her that he didn't know but hopefully the Dr's would find out and help her get better. Then the kids asked if they could finish the movie. I turned the movie on for them and spoke some more with their father. He is so distraught and at his wits end. He told me that his mother and probably his sister-in-law (the mom's sister) would be coming to town to help.

I came home and filled in DH. I can't imagine if this was happening to me and I had to make these kinds of decisions regarding my spouse. I hope that the girls' mom is able to have a quick diagnosis and recovery and that their dad is able to handle the stress of caring for his wife and the girls. I'm emotionally drained and I'm assuming this will be a difficult and stressful week for all involved.