Thinking back on the phone conversations I've had with Mom over the past two weeks, as I noted previously, I thought she sounded stronger and clearer than she has in the past year. Of course, I usually do speak to her before noon so maybe this explains some of why I get a different impression of her status. The other bigger reason is obviously that I don't see her everyday, like many of you, trying to do things more complicated than chatting on the phone. She has always been good at that.
One other big difference between recent calls and those from more than three weeks ago is that she ends every conversation by saying "I love you". I don't think I've ever heard her say that before to anyone but Dad. She's not confused either because she also adds "give Melanie a hug for me".
It never bothered me that she hadn’t said that before because I was always certain that she did all that she did because she loved all of us. That included everything from ironing school shirts, adding powered sugar to pound cakes, making us all share two medium fries on our biennial trip to McDonalds, grounding us for fighting, spending the extra money to get us through good schools, making us go to places like Williamsburg for summer vacation instead of Ocean City, continuing to have four more kids to do the housework after she already had the older ones for fun, etc.
Sometimes love means making tough choices. But it always means making the wisest choices that are possible. Keep the faith and keep thinking.
Love & gratitude to all, Michael
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Outsprinkles
These are the people whose love and support get us through each day and who we owe so much. They also helped a little producing......
Almost all of the Offsprinkles
6 comments:
Thank goodness I was one of the fun half. And I'm still waiting for one of the cleaning crew half to get to my house.
I absolutely agree that you could have a half-hour conversation with Mom and think everyhting is fine. That's why we have to be careful about the perception of moving her to BGT. However, anyone who has spent extended calm, quiet days with her in the past few weeks, knows that this move is the very best thing for her and our only choice. And, as we talk to other people (Uncle Jim, Emily, Mrs. Spurrier, Uncle Bob), you realize that Dad was dealing with a lot of stress that we didn't know about.
I keep thinking, what's the worst that could happen after Mom moves? If she is miraculously/ medically cured and returns to full cognitive ability, she is going to be pissed about the house being sold. At that point, she can yell at me all she wants, because I will be jumping for joy! Being in the supportive, comforting environment of an exceptional AL, will improve Mom's functioning, even if nothing else changes.
I read somewhere once that if you ever have one wish, don't wish for riches, health, intelligence, beauty. Wish for inner peace. Of all the options Mom has at this point in her life, I truly believe that the AL option is the only one that will get her closer to inner peace.
Love you all,
Lel, DF, MF, EF
It seems the work for the second four is never done! No matter. I do it because I love you all, not because I have to. ;~} Thanks for the encouragement, Michael. See you soon.
Love,
Quinn DRF, FMLFNF, LF
You got french fries?
well the older ones did. Didn't we give you the burnt ones?
You got french fries?
I heard you the first time. Or did you forget you said that already Mom, errrr, I mean Megan?
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