And Just Like That...

Update 8/18/21: Grandma has completed rehab and is back to her old self! 😊

Grandma broke her hip.

It was a freak accident - one second we were playing a yard game, and the next second Grandma was on the ground. Yes, falls happen within the older community, yes, my grandma is a member of that community at the age of 84, but my grandma is also one of the strongest and healthiest people I know (until her fall, her speed walk put mine to shame, she could hold a ten minute plank, and she exercised daily). Her mobility and health are her life, and she is the kindest and most resilient woman I know, which is why it was such a shock to us to not only see her fall but to see in her pain. We felt helpless.

After she and my parents left for the hospital, my brothers and I understood why we were all home at this time, in this moment, having been separated and living in different parts of the country for years. In hindsight, we realized we had been preparing for this moment:

• My brother and I initially planned trips home without consulting each other and chose dates that significantly overlapped.

• My dad had joked about a contraption Grandma pushed around to water the grass, saying it looked like a walker.

• One of my dad's friends told him that she had seen Grandma using a walker in her yard (which was her yard watering contraption).

• My husband, who is as handy as they come, decided last minute to stay the entire trip to NC instead of traveling back to FL to take care of projects at our own house.

• My dad told one of my brothers a day before Grandma's fall that he noticed the body responds and reacts differently as it ages, which he finds frustrating.

• My father in law mentioned the morning of Grandma's fall how it seemed everyone was falling, getting hurt, and needing surgery.

• My grandmother told me an hour before her fall that her biggest health concern was her hair growth.

• Not even thirty minutes before her fall my grandfather told my husband they had total health care coverage.

• Grandma made a joke at the hospital about having been reading a book about bone health.

At the time, we had no idea this would happen. We were all in shock and it has been a very stressful time. BUT in hindsight, we understand that we were being prepared for this moment and that the Universe worked to bring the entire family together after years of separation in order to be the emotional support and comfort for my grandfather and parents. As my mom says, it has been "all hands on deck" since Day 1.

All that being said, Grandma is now in physical therapy making fantastic progress, and will hopefully be back home in about a week. We can take a breath and appreciate the fact that while in the moment things seem scary and are intense, our spiritual team continuously prepares and guides us into and through situations that are trying and challenging. And as we have come to realize this week, as traumatic and difficult as these situations can be, there are ALWAYS hidden blessings that will be revealed.

Whew - we need a vacation! 😂 😉

Blessings in love and light!

Ellen and Kelly