I titled this post A mothers love 2 because it's about my mom instead of my child. Let me tell you a little about my mom. For as long as I can remember my mom has been taking care of people, and family in her life. She is a kind, nurturing, gentle, hard to anger, and friendly person. God has blessed her with the ability to care for sick people without feeling burdened. There were times during her trials of caring for who ever it was (there has always been someone) that I felt she was held back from things in her own life that she needed to be a part of but the sick person had to come first. She has always put others before herself.
It would be a very long post if I went back and told you about every person I can remember that she took care of. I have to mention my Grandmother. Her mom. My mom has 3 sisters and for whatever reasons at that time in their life they were not able to help my mom much. After my grandmother's stroke my mom took her home to care for her while still working. She drove a school bus. For a long time an aid would come while she was on her bus run and then my mom would have to come straight home so she could be there for Maw Maw. There were many nights she went to work on little sleep from getting my grandmother up in the middle of the night to bring her to the bathroom or whatever it was she needed. I can still remember my grandmother ringing her little bell. Thats what she did to let my mom know she needed something.
At some point my mom with not much help got to the point she couldn't keep up with caring for her. She couldn't find help on week ends and it got harder and harder to take care of her meds, special food she had to have and whatever else came along with caring for her. It broke my moms heart but she had to put her in nursing home. As many elderly people do she went down hill after being in the home. If my memory serves me right at about a year she brought her back home with her and she died just a few short months after.
Right now she is helping care for my great aunt. She is my moms fathers sister. There were 13. The youngest was a set of twins. My aunt is one of the twins and the last living. She turned 93 in March. She is almost blind and has alzheimer's disease. Her husband is 92 and does the best he can to take care of her. She is always calling on my mom for help. My mom has spent so much time doing things for her. This has been going on for the past 5 or 6 years now. She takes her places when she wants to get out of house. Since she has gotten sicker the past couple of years she doesn't mean to but makes my mom feel sorrow. My mom may have spent the day before with her but she can't remember her being there and she begs my mom to come back. There are about 30 minutes from each other and my mom has dropped everything when she's called crying wanting to see her. While on the subject of my aunt I might mention that her twin brother was diagnosed with cancer and in the end my mom brought him to her house to care for until he died. This was several years before my aunt starting getting sick.
For just about the same amount of time she has been helping care for her sister. The second sister to fall ill and my mom care for. My godmother had breast cancer and in the end it was bad because it spread to her lungs and she developed pulmonary fibrosis. Her oldest sister has alzheimer's disease also. She has 3 children but seems they are busy with their own lives and just don't have time for their mom as sick as she is. So, guess who does. Actually doesn't, but spreads herself all around. I probably sound like I'm angry about this. I'm not. I just wish my mom hadn't spent so much of her life caring for someone else. She talks about things she wants to do in her life but I fear for her she'll never get to.
I mentioned back in April when I started this blog that my mom was having pain in her leg. Now you have to know my mom, she never complains. I was amazed that she even told me about it when it started. Since April she's seen a few different doctors. Both of her legs hurting now. The pain was diagnosed as Sciatica. Sciatica causes pain to radiate through your buttocks into one or both legs. She's had an injection 3 different times. The latest news is the specialist recommends a laminectomy. Not as invasive as the surgery I had but painful none the less and some recovery time. They will remove part of the lamina above and below the affected nerve. Hopefully she will be pain free after this procedure. I can see it now, she won't want to bother anyone or have anybody troubled to take care of her. Not that it will be any trouble.
Over the last 3 years my mom has come to Baton Rouge multiple times to stay with me while recovering from a surgery or procedure. Matter of fact, with this last surgery she had her first injection just 2 days before my surgery but still came to care for me. Since my dad passed in May of 2011 she has been working to make ends meet. He had CHF and she was caring for him as well. She sits with a elderly lady that has alzheimer's disease. I don't see how she does it. She has some other health issues also. She'd never tell you about them, I have to ask. I worry about my mom taking care of herself because she is so busy taking care of everyone else. I've had so many people in my life tell me when I mention my concern that it is what she was meant to do. It takes someone special with a gift of patience to care for people who are sick and my mom has it. God Bless her. Her surgery is next month. I've already discussed with her coming to my house after for recovery. At least the first 3 to 4 days. She'll put up a fight I'm sure. I'll keep you posted when the date gets here.
I finally finished the painting I was working on. I think it's time to pick up the paint until after the new year. I need to clear off the other half of my table again so I can put my table cloth on and put out the fall center piece.
Maybe I should have taken in two photo's. Top half then bottom half so it would be close enough to read. I know what it says and I can't read it. lol I'll try and get a betty one when I hang it in the play room.
It's been so warm this week I was able to spend some time in the pool this afternoon. The water was so warm. I'm dreading the day it's to cold to get in the pool. I've been coming back to write as the night has progressed on. Lord please don't let me have two painful areas. I'm pretty uncomfortable, I may be calling to beg for an earlier date :-(
GNA....Theresa
The things you take for granted someone else is praying for.
No comments:
Post a Comment