My mom is terminally ill. We found out in 2008 that she has a long list of illnesses that are currently incurable. As you can imagine, that was a struggle. We eventually found a happy medium, and we learned how to deal with her sickness. Some days are harder than others, but she normally has good days.
However, because of one of her conditions, winters were especially hard on her. The cold made everything worse. So, moving to Florida was a good idea, right? -Apparently not.
The past three or four days (honestly, I'm so exhausted and stressed that I'm unsure of how long it's been) have been terrible. Mom hasn't been herself. In other words, she's been talking out of her head, hasn't eaten in days, has been in excruciating pain, etc. It basically feels like we're back to the days we had just learned of all her problems.
Quite honestly, it's stressing me out, breaking my heart, and scaring me to death all at the same time.
Thank God that tonight, this morning, whatever, she's finally starting to feel a little better. After she woke up at 3am, she decided she needed something to eat (FINALLY!) and that the blisters on her feet needed bandaging. She ate, we got her all doctored up, and after spilling tuna salad and water on her, I got her all cleaned up and back to bed. She's finally making sense when she talks and she's not been in pain. Maybe this is the light at the end of the tunnel.
So let me share with you what I have learned:
For the last 29 years, my mom has spent many a sleepless night taking care of my brother and I. She's kissed booboos, cleaned up kid barf, fixed drinks in the wee hours of the morning for a thirsty child, she's sang lullabies to calm us after bad dreams. She's been my caregiver my whole life. Nearly 19 years of her life has been devoted to taking care of me.
Now that she's sick, I'm taking care of her. Most people end up taking care of their sick parents when they're much older than I am now. But still here I am at 5 in the morning just checking on my mom to make sure she's okay.
She's so young, and I'm so young. I didn't think I'd ever be in this situation until I was much older, with children of my own. It makes me wish that I had cherished her healthy days a little more. I shouldn't have taken her for granted. She's growing older and sicker, and someday she won't be around. It kills me inside to think about it.
Moral of the story here is to cherish your parents while you still can. In all honesty, just cherish life.
Everything we have right now can be taken away at the drop of a hat. Our health, wealth, families.. Everything. So never take anything for granted. Life is too precious to be wasted.
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