Most everyone would probably agree that one of me is enough. Lately I'm wishing there was more than one. My father died almost ten years ago and I'm an only child so it's just me and my mother.
When I picked Mom up to take her to lunch today she was really dragging her butt. Unsteady on her feet, she was just about shuffling along. Her voice was weak and she seemed fuzzy headed, all classic signs, for her anyway, of depression. On the way into the restaurant she came close to taking a spill. If I hadn't been right there, she would have gone down.
We had lunch, walked around HomeGoods for a while where she pushed the shopping cart to keep her steady and then stopped at the supermarket where she waited in the car. She was mostly along for the ride and as the afternoon went on she seemed to become more like herself.
I made another quick stop and when I got back into the car she said, "I've enjoyed today as much as if we'd spent a week together." I thought she had brightened up a little while we were out and here was the proof.
All she needed was a little of my company. Days like today make me wish there was more of me.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Oh Sandy, I so understand this post and your feelings. My parents are in Dallas and I'm so blessed to have a sister and brother close to them. I know my sister often feels the weight of their care on her, thought my brother and his wife are helpful, my dad is especially close to my sister.
Hoping you can squeeze in some more time for your mom, or come up with some other outlets to keep her active and engaged.
Just reading this makes me want to call home right now.
This is so hard. It's difficult when all the responsibility falls on just one person. I'm not sure what the answers are, but it is nice to know that you can so easily make her happy.
I'm glad she enjoyed her time with you. Just getting out of the house can make a big difference!
I love to blog but I wish that there was another one of me who could blog and then I could read, relax and clean house.
There are places for elderly people; some of them good, some of them not so good. One thing is for sure. There's no place like home, and there's no real substitute for the care of a daughter or a son.
Oh, this has such resonance for me, Sandy. It reminds me of those times with my dad before he died. I'm an only child, too -- it has its challenges. But you just wish there was more of you to give.
I'm glad you had the day together. It sounds like it meant so very much.
Post a Comment