Letters and Grandma - June 14

June 14 - from mom

Dear Ones,

Grandma is not doing well. I have been gone for 7 days and Mom's decline during that time is very evident. She has had frequent "episodes" with chest pain and her ability to walk is dramatically reduced. In fact, yesterday evening she was unable to walk 200 feet to a park bench without chest pains. She hasn't been around the yard to see her garden.

Today I spoke with her hospice nurse, Charly, and ordered a wheelchair for Mom. I asked her "off the record" how she viewed Mom's situation. Does she have weeks? Months? Charly thought about it and said that she would estimate that Mom has about a month or so left. Of course, this is just an estimate and not a hard science. I was thinking sometime in November and so her observation has been very sobering.

The take-away lesson here is to make this precious time count. This is not going to go on forever. I spoke to my friend that cared for her deceased mother and she said that she wished she had been kinder, more patient and understanding. We literally have a few weeks to heed this wise advice. This is the time to demonstrate our love for her and to act on our good intentions today rather than tomorrow. She fatigues quickly, but she loves short visits, letters, cards, short phone calls, pictures, etc. Stories about the antics of her posterity make her smile and she repeats them to everyone she sees. She's a wonderful matriarch.

I just wanted to share a few of the thoughts that are running through my head and my heart.

Love all of ya!

Ali

aka Mom