Over the course of this year, I have written little. There would be a good reason for that and I think I am ready to share my thoughts on the early part of 2025.
As I have mentioned often in this blog, my parents were aging and while I had tried to help them at home, they realized the need of moving to an assisted living facility. They moved on February 15, 2024, living there quite happily for the most part. In late 2024, my mother had become a bit disgruntled and wanted to move back home but their choice had been made to sell their house so there was no house for her to go back to, plus she was not able to live independently anymore. My dad recognized her decline and spoke privately to me about it.
Fast forward to January 29, 2025, at 4:45 am when my phone rang with the news that my dad had moved to heaven. What a great thing for him! So sad for the ones of us who remained but so blessed for him--health issues, mobility issues, and life issues troubled him greatly. His faith became sight with that move and I think that's all I might say about it. I like to think of him like this....
A week later my mom was officially diagnosed with dementia by her pcp, then a week later she was diagnosed with the same from her nephrologist, then a week later, my sister had a 14 minute full cardiac arrest. Yes, you read right....a full cardiac arrest for 14 minutes. She was admitted to ICU and life looked pretty grim and bleak for a couple of days. Then we realized we had front row seats to a miracle. Yes, she recovered. It took a while and she still works daily on her recovery but is living a somewhat normal life now. She just sees doctors regularly. I could say more about this but it, too, was a painful time with a wonderful result.
During the time of my sister's sickness, my mom's mental and physical health advanced negatively. I was not her favorite person as I wouldn't do what she wanted. I had to be firm in wisest decisions while seeking the Lord's help. I'll level with you here, it ain't easy. If you are going through the same, you have my prayers. Without saying more, the Lord provided a way for hospice to care for my mom. It was around the last of April this year when she got dementia medicine. It was a long road getting there. I am not very complimentary of some of the medical field's care of the aged but that's enough about that. She was happy and calm for two days, then her kidneys that had been failing for years took a huge nosedive. Things moved quickly for her with her going into a hospital bed, morphine need, swelling, and so much more. I was blessed to be with her daily every day, going home at night, until the Lord called her home to heaven. That was on May 14, 2025.
Three months and fourteen days my parents were apart after being married almost 72 years. They never spent birthdays apart and this year was no exception as they had birthdays in June and July. They will have their anniversary together in heaven.
I don't wish them back at all as their quality of life was not what they wanted it to be physically and mentally. I have no regrets for decisions I made with my sister and alone on behalf of both my sister and me when she was unable to make decisions. Do I get somewhat melancholy still? Absolutely. Some days memories overtake my mind and heart and it's just still a bit different. My phone is silent more now....my parents prided themselves on making multiple calls a day. My fears for them are also silent as they are now in the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
So I am finding a new normal. Their absence here makes me the new matriarch of the family and that's the circle of life also.
I want to end today with my favorite photo of my parents and me in the early days. I guess now I'm one of the few who has known them the longest. And somehow this photo just gives me warmth.
Life is but a vapor.....
Consider....
