24 Mar 2005
Much Better

Mom's much better now - they have the fluid buildup under control and actually removed her heart monitor last night. That's always a good sign.

It was really touch-and-go Monday and Tuesday - I honestly figured she was taking her last trip when she went to the hospital, but, mercifully, it now appears that I was wrong. It's a real strain taking care of an elderly parent, more so even than taking care of 3 teenage girls. I can say that now, as I've now done both. I worried about my girls - car wrecks? boyfriends? but they managed to take pretty good care of themselves and emerge into adulthood alive and intact. Mom, on the other hand ...

One knows, intellectually, that all that live must someday die. But that sure doesn't help when dealing with the emotional reality. I was an only child, and have a grand total of two living cousins with whom I'm still in regular contact. For us, my Mom and my kids are my entire family - on Kris' side we have so many relations that it's hard to count (her mom and dad both had six or seven siblings).

And with my Mom at 81, it's only a matter of time before I have to plan a funeral. I just thank the gods that it wasn't this week.

Thanks to all who wrote or commented on this: prayers, meditations and good thoughts do help, even if only in the most ephemeral way. It's nice to know that others know, and care.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled ranting and raving ...

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