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Mug Shot
My sister is seven years younger than me. Yes, she is a grown woman, and the mother of two children, but even so, she will always be my younger sister, and I will always advocate for her like a mother.
I wish we lived closer to each other, and never so much as I did last week when I got this text from her.
That was Wednesday. On Thursday, I checked in and she had spent 4 hours in the ER on Wednesday night getting fluids and nausea medicine. Did they check for appendicitis? I asked. She wasn’t sure. My gut was telling me something, but I live in South Louisiana, and she is in Austin, TX. How could I tell her that the ER had been wrong?
What I did tell her was to get in touch with her regular doctor. She did. They gave her an appointment for Friday morning. Are you kidding me?! The mother in me was yelling inside my head. I asked, “Did you tell them your symptoms? Promise me if the pain gets more severe, you will insist on an appointment today!”
Friday came. Her husband and son packed up to leave for Louisiana to go to the LSU football game. Their daughter, my niece, attends LSU. Beth told him to go ahead with his plans, and she would let him know what the doctor said.
Her appointment was mid-morning. I got a text at 12:10 PM:
The CT scan took forever. I didn’t hear from her again until after school around 4 PM. The diagnosis was appendicitis. I broke down. I wanted to get on the next flight to Austin, but I knew that was unrealistic. Instead, I got in touch with her best friend. She assured me she was going to be able to help. I talked to my people (my husband, daughter, and mother). They all advised that she was in good hands, and there was nothing more I could do.
My brother-in-law turned around and headed back home. She was alone, but he would be there when she woke up.
My worry turned to anger. I’m still trying to deal with that side of it. Beth is home and feeling sore, but she will recover. She told me that I “advocate like a mother,” a slogan a friend of hers uses in her advocacy for her trisomy 18 child.
My sister will be fine, but I’ve realized with this incident how fiercely I care about her, as if she were my own daughter. And I will always “Fight like a Mother!”
Reflections on the Teche 
Scary that she was misdiagnosed, but I know appendicitis often gets missed. Advocating like a mother is more positive than being called a mother bear:) Glad to hear that she is on the mend. Your messages added to the slice.
One of my sixth graders had appendicitis two weeks ago. He was misdiagnosed with flu and sick for almost a week before his mother advocated “like a mother” and got the tests and treatment he needed. Makes me think about how I do this for kids in my class!
I’ve had situations with my students that I’ve had to be an advocate as well.
Margaret,
What a wonderful story of love. It’s very scary and sad that we have to double check on diagnosis for ourselves and our love ones. We really do have to make sure that we are getting the right diagnosis and treatments. Hope she is okay.
Sydney
So sorry it took so long for your sister to get the card she really needed. I know she must have felt your love and support even though you couldn’t be there in person as you longed to. Fight like a mother is a good attitude for us to hold onto.
She is lucky and I pray she will regain good health. Regards
My sister is also 7 years older and she too advocates for me like my mother. I love it — try to do the same for her, but doesn’t always work in both directions. Love goes both ways but there is something about an older sister that is different. Glad she is ok –keep advocating!!
She didn’t appreciate it much when we were younger. I was often too critical, but now we are in a different stage. I try to keep my advice positive and thoughtful.
Advocating for your sister and watching over her is part of your caring nature, Margaret. I am glad that everything is quiet now for both of you but I can’t imagine what would have happened if you did not suggest seeing another doctor.
I’m so glad you were there for your sister and that she got the care she needed. I can imagine how hard it must have been not to be able to help in person! Wishing her a speedy recovery!
Larkin’s appendix ruptured when she was 15, and it was REALLY scary. I can tell you stories about it that would make you laugh at some point in the future. Suffice it to say that I offered to take out her appendix with a butter knife if they didn’t get her into at OR soon! Love the phrase Fight like a Mother! Sounds like Beth is on the mend, but health care is super unreliable at times!
It’s very scary when you live far away from your loved ones (family) and something like this happens. My husband once travelled from WI to SC to be about to drive my parents home because my dad got sick and was hospitalized on a vacation! I am glad you had “your people” around to support you! I hope she has a quick recovery.
I read this early this morning & was so distressed for you and your sister that I couldn’t even comment. I am so glad that she is ok. I’m so glad that she has a community of support and advocates. I have two younger sisters, and I hope I am as supportive of them as you are of your sister. Finally, I LOVE the phrase “advocate like a mother.” I might actually need that coffee mug!
I understand that feeling. When stuff happens, you realize how fiercely you will fight for the ones you love.
While you may have been hundreds of miles away, I’m certain your sister felt your presence as if you were right there holding her close…like a mother. She is blessed to have such a devoted, fiercely protective older sister!