An Overview

Violet Pierre is well known for her singing and her ability to make people laugh. She is one of six of the Mouton children. Her father was Louisiana music legend Curtis Mouton. Her mother is Hilaria Broussard, native of southern Louisiana. Under their organ playing father, Violet and her siblings have traveled Louisiana and beyond entertaining with song and music for weddings, funerals, receptions, special events, and parties.

In Violet's mid-thirties, she discovered that she had bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depressive disorder). She was prescribed Lithium over the course of several months. Unbeknownst to Violet and her doctors, she also had a minor skin condition called psoraisis. Psoraisis is a skin disorder that resembles eczema and is an autoimmune condition. Lithium has an adverse effect on psoraisis. Spontaneously, over 70% of her body erupted into severe psoraisis. Since then, her immune system has been drastically weakened exposing her to multiple risks of infection. These complications have given rise to other challenges including psoriatic and osteo- arthritis, MRSA, and more. Over the past decade she has spent numerous stays in hospitals in Lafayette, mostly Our Lady Of Lourdes, undergoing surgeries and receiving various anti-biotics. Currently, she is undergoing major efforts to aid the healing of a huge bedsore at the small of her back that was made worse by the emergence of an abscess.

For my sister and I, this past decade and more has presented profound spiritual challenges. There are waves where things are fine, our mother's health improves greatly. We felt we reached a breakthrough earlier this year when we urged a meta-port (because of her small veins and her need for constant anti-biotics, this port was placed inside of her body to aid the IV) to be removed from her body fearing that this foreign body was the site of her constant 're-infections'. Once removed, she enjoyed an 'infection-free' 7 months. This was huge being that she averages a hospital visit every couple months, sometime weeks. She was more mobile and energetic. We felt more optimistic than ever.

But, then last Friday, this abscess emergence was a shock. Not to mention we were alarmed to hear that doctors suspected internal bleeding. Around 8 years ago, she was subject to diverticulitis (pockets in the colon that rupture). We suspected this could be the site of the bleeding. But before I continue, this must be said. My sister and I are fierce health advocates for our mother. We do our absolute best to stay abreast of her medications, various surgeries, experiemental procedures, and even current holistic advances in medicine. It is the most demoralizing and fatiguing when we find that we are not supported or matched in efforts by her health team, be it primary care physcians, Medicaid, the whole healthcare system. We feel they see her as a number. And, this was and has been the case all of these past years. There are kind and humane caregivers out there and when my sister and I cross paths with them we are deeply grateful. However, we find that much of our efforts fall on deaf ears. And, it makes us want to SCREAM.

But, we do not give up. And, we shall not. We shall continue to always search and try everything within our power to help heal and save our mom. I often pray I get the help where we cannot do everything. You know? The serenity prayer? 'Grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change'. That's one life lesson where I am going to need much guidance.

So, we reach out online. To a community of people out there who have mothers, daughters, fathers, and sons they are advocating for. Friends who want to lend support. People who offer great insights and wisdoms. This past week I've been reacquainted with what the feeling of being utterly alone. And, I know that I am not. I know this consciously. I have my sister and friends who support me. Yet, there are moments in the quiet, when there is nothing to do, no immediate task to complete, and no imminent stimuli for distraction- it is here in this quiet that I am scared. Scared for the future and the 'what-ifs?'. It is human to be scared. This is what I'm learning. And, I'm not trying to lose the fears. I'm just trying to give them a wide berth so I don't become swallowed by them. I know a great many of you out there understand this and it is you that I've come to think about more and more these days. Somehow in thinking of you, I'm trying to discover peace, and a little comfort.