a small miracle: my mom's incredible recovery

I go up to the Cape in early July, planning to work from there for a few weeks. Instead, I'm back in NY in a few days.

My mom's cough is horrid, and she has zero energy. She is clearly not up to having any guests.

Within two days of my leaving, she's in Falmouth Hospital as her oxygen level has dropped to a troublingly low level. While there, tests are conducted and she is diagnosed with pneumonia. But on one of the scans, the doctors identify a suspicious-looking thing that they have serious concerns about. My sisters and I do too. My mother less so.

The doctors want my mom to go to Boston for an invasive biopsy. My mom refuses. She says she is fine. My sisters and I disagree, but let my mother decide. She does, and doesn't go.

About a week later, my mom comes home from the hospital, and every day feels stronger. Her oxygen level improves. Her color comes back. The pneumonia ends. The coughing is majorly reduced. Her high energy level is back. And most importantly, a PET scan shows that the  suspicious-looking thing is nowhere to be found.

Soon after coming home from the hospital, my mom is making the rounds in her golf cart, along with M and my mom's friend and aide, the saintly Maria.

On September 26, my mom celebrates 94 years of great living. She still has a long way to go.

 My mom with Ellie and her granddaughter Sally, August 29.