June 29, 2009 - Mama and I thought we were on a multi-night trip to Lincoln City. Little did we know that her heart had other plans for us.

We did get to see the beautiful Pacific Ocean from outside our nice room at the Ester Lee when we got up after spending our first night there.



We enjoyed watermelon before getting ready to go to the Chinook Winds Casino to play the penny machines, one of Mama's favorite ways to spend time when out and about.



Mama and I cleaned out half of that little Dulcinea Pureheart Seedless watermelon in no time flat.



See what I mean?



Here's Mama after she put her face on and a great big smile of anticipation. She's ready to go have some fun! Although I didn't look nearly as put together as she did, I was ready, too.

We won some, we lost some, we were just about ready to head back to our room because she said she wasn't feeling well when Mama had what I guess you could call a spell, but to tell you the truth, I'd never seen anything like it. Her little ol' self got rigid and shaky when she stood up off the stool in front of the slot machine. I got alarmed and asked for the casino to get us some help, so they sent their security people with a wheelchair. After checking her out in the first aid space inside the security office, they highly recommended that she get go to the local hospital ER. She wouldn't let them call an ambulance, so I quit wasting time trying to convince her to change her mind and got directions--it was not a long drive. At the ER, where they didn't have her records, of course, the EKG alarmed the doctor enough that he ordered her an ambulance for the ride back to Portland, straight to her primary care doctor's affiliated hospital. So, she left in an ambulance with the siren going, and I went back to the Ester Lee to put all of our stuff back into the car and check out. We lost our Christmas present coupon for the cost of those nights that my brother and his wife had given us, but it couldn't be helped. At least, that's what the management at the Ester Lee told me. And I had to call Lamont and Leland, not only to let them know what was going on with their Gma, but to also tell them that our plans to spend the two more nights there with them as our guests had now been cancelled. Luckily, they hadn't left Portland yet, so they went to the hospital just about the time that Mama should arrive by ambulance. When I got to the hospital in Portland, she was doing OK because they had her previous EKGs and such to look at and knew that what was going on could be controlled with her medication. She stayed overnight and came home to recuperate just fine. We enjoyed her company for another year and a half.

Just goes to show that we don't know what's next in life. Mama, both of my parents actually, that my brother and me and my sons that one should always be ready for whatever comes your way, to handle it the best you are able, and with a smile on your face if the situation warrants.