Edith's Birthday...

This is Edith, my Mother, on her 83 birthday. That is Lynnda to the right, and
Leigh Ann Hyndman, my first cousin on the left.
We had a great time with Mom at her apartment... she had enough cake

(two of them)

to keep us full; lots of flowers; and we finally burned those twisted tower candles
which Mother bought over forty years ago, and didn't want to ruin by burning them!

Mother has had her health problems of late, but it was amazing to see her rise above them and have a good time with us, and the many drop-in visitors, phone calls and cards.
It is an amazing experience to learn from a parent
late in their life... about dignity; about love; about how we should
live, even at the end of life.

I have to admit that I thought I understood life until spending all this time
with Mother. I would recommend everyone participating very closely in the late life
care of parents. Don't leave it to others.
It is the most important time we can spend with parents... at the start of life, we have sixty or more years to spend with children/parents. At the end, we have no time to make up for not being there at the end.

Mother has added so much to Harold's and my life, and that of everyone
who is touched by her... by letting us help diring these tough times.
Love ya Mom
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Comments

Anonymous said…
I couldn't agree more with what you've said here. When each of my parents were dying, I struggled with it, revisited my whole history as son, had problems accepting that the roles had changed, with me as caregiver and supporter, and that all the old battles were over.

I didn't have time to get through all that with my dad, but we got most of the way, and with my mom, somehow, ironically, it in the end reversed itself and became her last gift to me!

Oyster Ponder
September 9, 2008 at 9:35 PM
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