PANIC

Wikipedia defines PANIC as a sudden fear which replaces thinking and often affects groups of people or animals. Panic typically occurs in disaster or violent sitations which endanger the overall health of the affected group. The word PANIC is derived from the name of the Greek god Pan, who was said to have the ability to cause extreme, irrantional fear, especially in lonely or open places.

And panic was prevalent in our dear MOTHER this morning. A classic case of panic if ever there was one. She was at the hospital, just getting her Stress Test done. She was killing time waiting for her Bone Densitometry test when Dad's nurse called and said that Dad's blood pressure was very very low. Something like 77/44. Super duper low. And that was enough to galvanize her into action. Or non-action, depending on how you looked at it, hehehe.

She has 2 phones. With the first one, she kept the nurse on the line, probably barking orders and making sure to have a direct line between her and the house. With the other phone she calls me and tells me the news. At the onset, I could HEAR the panic in her voice. Understandable, I know, but this is the aftermath, and so I can make fun of her a little bit, heheehe. She rarely reads my blog anyway.

SO, she calls me and tells me Dad's BP is low. She pauses. I ask her what she wants me to do. She says go home. Okay. Without question, I start packing my just-taken-out-of-my-bag laptop. She calls a few seconds later. Call your brothers, she tells me. I ask her if she wants to take Dad to the hospital. She answers that she had called Tita Vykh and that she said to prop Dad's legs up higher than his heart to help elevated his blood pressure. I ask her, if she still wants to take Dad to the hospital. She mutters that there's no driver at home. I tell her Rondic is at home and that I'll call her. She tells me to call him. (what did I just say???)

I call Dic and tell him the whole situation. He said ok, he was going to leave right away. Ok. One problem down. I finish packing. Mom calls and asks where I am. I tell her I was about to leave. This in about 3 minutes after the first time she called me.

I get to the elevator and it is right smack at the beginning of lunch time. I knew we were in for a wait. The elevator pings open after only 3 minutes' wait. We get in and stop at a few floors. The elevator fills up. At this one floor, a group of giggling ladies looks at the obviously filled elevator and squeeze inside. Instead of pressing the damn close button they WAIT. And the buzzing sound signifying overload rings and they laugh and discuss who amongst them would have to leave. I was obviously getting irritated at this point. After an EON, some decide to step off (finally!) and of those who got off figured that their weight wasn't too much of a burden decide to get in at the LAST minute, making the damn elevator stay open forever. I had had enough.

I yelled "LET'S GOOOO!!!" in a really loud, obnoxious, ORDERING voice. I swear, everyone in that elevator stiffened and froze. I don't think anyone dared breathe! Mercifully, the doors close and one of the stupid giggling ladies mumbled an apology. Egad, man! What a bunch of dimwits! The elevator was blissfully silent the rest of the way down to the ground floor. At ground level, I told one of the guards that people were playing with the elevator and for him to check it out. Man, was I pissed! Sheesh!

In the van, I phoned Rod who had just arrived at the office, who had pretty much just sat down at his desk. I told him Mom wanted all of us home immediately. And he went home. Like all of us, pretty much no questions asked.

At the other side of town, Boydee and Bang were buying an arwana (sp?). They had just paid and were waiting for the saleslady to prepare everything when Mom called them. They dropped everything, telling the saleslady they would send someone to collect the fish. No questions asked.

I called Dic and he said he was in the garage maneuvering the van, getting it ready, just in case we decided to bring Dad to the hospital. I call Mom to verify if we wanted Dad taken to the hospital. She said yes. Then in the same breath, she tells me that there was horrendous traffic going to the hospital. So I asked her whether it was a yes or a no, if she wanted Dad taken to the hospital or not. She said yes. I asked her where she was, and she said still at the hospital. I tell her WAIT there just so she wouldn't be caught in traffic. Besides, she wouldn't make it at home in time to go WITH Dad to the hospital. She replied that she didn't WANT to wait!!! Sigh.

More instances of panic? The whole time Mom was on the phone, she would tell Rani to go straight home. As Rani would make a u-turn, she'd yell, no, go back to the hospital. A few minutes later, as the car was about to make a u-turn, she'd say, no go back home. And round and round they went for a few minutes. Ack! Can anyone say panic attack???? Hehehe.

Dad has stabilized a bit now, with normal blood pressure, and close to normal blood sugar (for him, at least). He's being given a shower now and should feel better afterwards.

'Til next update.

* painting is called The Scream by Edward Munch