Rambling

Today I noticed how frail my friend, Mary, has gotten.
She fell again over the weekend.
I'm afraid all the progress she made might be for naught.

And I've noticed how I'm carrying around a kind of ache inside.
It seems like the rest of the world is talking about racial profiling and justice for all.
All I can think about is the plight of old people.
Maybe plight is too strong a word.
But I can't forget thinking the things I saw in the care facility where Mary stayed for 7 weeks.
And I think about the number of people in my age bracket who are becoming caregivers.
I found taking care of your parents is like having your first child.
One day you're only responsible for yourself. Then the next thing you know the care and feeding of another human being lies firmly on your shoulders.
There is no instruction manual. It's on the job training.
It makes you scream. It makes you want to pull your hair out.
And it makes you cry yourself to sleep at night. Dreading what will come next and praying the end won't come too soon.
It all weighs heavy on my heart.

I'm just rambling here.
Thanks for listening.
Merry ME




Comments

Constance said…
It is very sad, and I can totally understand why your heart aches not just for Mary, but for everyone who gets old and helpless;

and for those who have to or want to take care of those who can no longer take care of themselves,

and how the system in nursing homes or assisted living or when someone is financially strapped can be so frustrating and dehumanizing many times..

My empathy.
((hugs))
July 15, 2013 at 11:40 PM
MamaJoe said…
I enjoy your ramblings...I find we are on the same page some days. I pray your friend recovers soon
July 20, 2013 at 10:03 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Every Little Bit Helps

Image
UPDATE:  I'll be picking a winner on Thanksgiving Day. So make a donation and leave your name in the comment section below.  ME UPDATE:  I see a tiny problem but it should be easy to fix. Commenting anonymously doesn't get your name in the drawing. And there's no way to tell Anonymous A from Anonymous B. Are you different or the same? I need to be able to get back in touch with you somehow. We can exchange email addy's later. But please at least leave your name. If you still comment as Anonymous, just say your name in the comment.  You can use first name and last initial. Or last name alone. Or an Alias. Just so I can get your name in the hat. And really, thank you. Thank you again and again. Merry ME _____ I always breathe a sigh of relief when a storm veers away from Jacksonville.  At the same time it's hard not to feel guilty that it went somewhere else.  I was in no way prepared for Hurricane Sandy. Like a lot of others, I felt like the...
Read more

An Easter Miracle

Image
How is it that after someone you love dies, time moves on even when it feel like its standing still? Philosophers, poets and writers have tried to answer that question since time began. I don't have the answer. I just know that, by what I can only imagine is the Grace of God, it does. When you heart is broken into something resembling a 1000 piece jig saw puzzle and there are no directions on how to put it together, somehow it mends. When some else dies and it cracks again, God stitches the old wound and the new wound together into a patchwork of healed scars. Fifteen years ago, when I watched my mother draw a breath then counted the seconds before she took another but none came, I sat by her bed and tried to imagine being a motherless child. Then I did what any kid would do, ran down the long hospital corridor sounding the alarm. "My mother isn't breathing." "My mother isn't breathing."  Want to see doctors, nurses, CNAs, and cleaning ladies tur...
Read more

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY BLOG PARTY

Image
In honor of women everywhere ... Welcome to the International Women's Day Blog Party (Turn up the sound: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuB3_HLcFfk ) International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. To this end, this party is a way to honor those special ladies who have inspired us and made us better than we ever thought we could be. It is with gratitude and pride I welcome you to my blog. I'm anxious to hear your stories and celebrate your choices. All you have to do is go down to the bottom of this post and click on the comment section. That will take you to another page where you can write your tribute in the space provided. You can use your Google/Blogger user name or remain anonymous. There is nothing to join. If you choose to post anonymously please leave your name in the comment section so we'll all know who you are. When you're through hit publish and voila your lady is o...
Read more