To eternity and beyond
A daughter's perspective on her mother's journey home August 6: The text The text from Brooke, my niece, was waiting for me when I got finished with another slog through the woods. “Grandma is going to the ER. She’s vomiting dark stuff. Possibly a GI bleed.” An hour later: “Still vomiting. They’re doing blood work now.” Oh dear . My dear, sweet mother is in trouble. At 92, she struggles. Two years ago she had to move from independent living to the assisted care section of the retirement home. She is weary and worn. This once vibrant, energy-filled woman who could work circles around everyone can barely manage to use her walker to get to the bathroom. She is a cancer survivor and had a coronary stent placed back when she was about my age. She also had a pacemaker inserted some time ago, and reportedly has a leaky mitral valve. “There’s nothing they can do for me,” she mourns. I get the feeling she is disappointed when she wakes in the morning. She is ready to go home.