Caley Ridge Assisted Living, Colorado - Elder Abuse - Our Nightmare - Part 6

“Nancy, your mom had a little fall.  We are sending her to the hospital,” the staff at Caley Ridge Assisted Living.

A little fall they tell her minimizing the whole accident.

“Is she hurt?” my sister asked groggily.  She was recovering from surgery herself.

“She may be hurt this time,” responded the staff person at Caley Ridge Assisted Living.

 ”Do I need to hurry?” asked my sister.  

“No, no need to hurry,” replied Caley Ridge Assisted Living.

They did not explain to my sister what had happened at all.  They didn’t even act as if it were important.  They notified my sister and essentially communicated to her it was no big deal. 

 Because of the communication with Caley Ridge, my sister did not sense she needed to race there.  She pulled herself together and her friend just dropped her off at Sky Ridge Hospital. 

 My sister walked into the room where she was supposed to be and nobody was there.  This puzzled her.  She asked what was going on and no one would tell her except to say she was in x-ray. 

Can you imagine what it felt like to walk into a hospital room to check on your loved one and they aren’t there?  That was her first inkling something was going on. 

Eventually, they brought our mother back into the room.  She took one look at my sister and started sobbing.

I imagine the scene at Sky Ridge.  I imagine my sister’s confused and dazed look.  I see my mother’s pale and drawn face.  I am sure these are not unusual experiences in the emergency room at Sky Ridge.  I imagine they are just going about their business. 

In my mind’s eye I see my mother and my sister.  I wasn’t there, but somehow I see the suffering in her face.  She is in pain.

It was unnecessary for this to happen.  The decisions that the driver and the Caley Ridge staff made that day impacted the life of my mother and her children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.  The ramifications are still being experienced today.