Archive Notes: This is an English translation and rewritten version of a blog post originally published in Japanese on October 3, 2019. [Japanese version]
I received another call from the hospital today at 9:58 AM.
I could instantly tell from the doctor’s tone that it wasn’t good news.
He told me that since this morning, my mother’s blood pressure had been dropping, her oxygen levels were decreasing, and her breathing had become rough.
He called to let me know that if her blood pressure continued to drop, her life would be in danger.
At the time of the call, they had already increased her oxygen intake and cleared her airway, so her condition seemed to have stabilized for the moment. Still, I immediately reported the situation to my father, and in the afternoon, my daughter, Riona, and I drove to the hospital.
Back at my parents’ house, I had to make a bunch of calls—contacting the credit union about a fixed-term deposit in my mother’s name and changing the bank account details for automatic deductions for fire insurance and newspaper subscriptions.
Just dealing with all that was enough to give me an ulcer.
You see, the credit union told me that only the account holder can withdraw the funds.
Since my mother is unconscious, she obviously can’t express her intent. They said that in this case, we would either need a legal “adult guardian,” or the funds could only be withdrawn as part of an inheritance after she passes away.
Honestly, putting your money in fixed deposits is just not worth it.
For the sake of a few hundred yen in interest, you end up having to pay high fees and spend an enormous amount of time and effort to get the money out in an emergency.
I strongly realized that keeping some cash at home—the good old “under-the-mattress” savings—is actually the best way.
Come to think of it, my father’s habit of keeping necessary cash on hand is the smartest approach.
We also discovered some installment fixed deposits that my mother had set up in my father’s name without him knowing. If we don’t cancel those quickly while my father is still capable of declaring his intent, we’re going to be in a world of trouble later.
Thinking about how I have to rush to handle this and that just makes my stomach feel incredibly heavy.
On top of that, I can’t calm down no matter what I’m doing, because a critical condition notice from the hospital could come at any moment.
Fortunately, my daughters are staying over today, which is very reassuring. But knowing that they will eventually have to go home leaves me with a looming sense of loss and anxiety.
I’m so overwhelmed with anxiety that I can barely force food down my throat, but I have to eat to keep my strength up, so I’m forcing myself to take a few bites.
