Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Still Here

I am still here even if I haven't written a post for a while.  I am still running, but I have put training on hold for a while.

I have written about my mother.  She is a sweet, lovely 91 year old retired kindergarten and music teacher.  She was the Organist and Choir Director for the Califon United Methodist Church in New Jersey for 50 years.  She was a wonderful mother, awesome grandmother and very special great-grandmother.  She has so many friends, co-workers, family and former students who love her.  One of my friends Jimmy, who also was her student, wrote:  "Your Mother was a mom to all of us who were lucky enough to have been guided by her in our early lives. My thoughts and prayers will be with her forever and I only wish I could do more."

My mother is now unable to ambulate without assistance, unable to dress without assistance, unable to bathe without assistance, is incontinent, has no meaningful verbal communication, has suffered from aspiration pneumonia and UTIs numerous times in the past 6 months and has stage 3 decubitus ulcers.  She qualified for hospice care.  She began hospice care this week and is not expected to survive much longer.

She is bedridden and will sometimes open her eyes and try to focus on you when you speak to her.  It is not clear whether she recognizes you.  She must be hand fed and is eating most of her food and drinking her liquids;that is a good sign!

I love my mother so very much and this is a very difficult time for me.  I lost my son only 6 years ago and my husband 3 years ago.  Because of the dementia I know I have already "lost" my mom, but it doesn't make this any easier.  I want her to pass peacefully without any pain.  She will be in the best company when she does leave this life.  I will miss her more than she could ever imagine.
My mother serves my birthday cake for my 4th birthday.

I will be back running and training again...not just for me but for my mom, Tom and Tommy.  I just need to take time to be with my mom as she leaves this life. 

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2 comments:

Linda Devlin said...

thinking of you, Noel.
Wishing I could say more, but know that there is nothing that can be said...
You are a wonderful daughter, mother, and wife... and always will be.
my the love of friends and family help you through this very difficult time.
God Bless ~ Linda Sutton Devlin

Grammie Brown said...

Thank you so much Linda!