Posted on 01/21/2006 11:43:58 AM PST by Lorianne
It's all about MEEEEEEEE....
If she thinks it's tough now, wait til she has to bury a parent. The hardest part for me was looking at my dad's hands. I thought of all the things he'd done with them. He was an appliance repairman and put up antenna towers in the days before cable. He's always worked with his hands. Of course, her experience is different from mine. I don't see a 74 year old woman when I'm with my mom, now. I see the woman that raised me. I've never gotten impatient with her, I don't think. It sends a chill through me when she asks me to help her with the things she used to handle easily.
My mother died two weeks ago at the age of 80. She lived with me for the past 7 years, the past 3 of which she was basically bedridden. Is it hard? Yes...is it painful? Yes...Did I sacrifice a lot? ABSOLUTELY. Would I have changd a minute of it...NO.
have you ever taken care of a parent? 24/7? This woman is being honest and I commend her for it. If it were all about HER, she wouldn't be thinking about what it's going to be like to take care of an aging parent. Not enough people do. Just go to your local nursing home and you'll see what I'm talking about.
My husband is with his dying father as I type this. He called me this morning sobbing "We can't wake him up"
God bless you and your mother. Losing a parent is one of those painful experiences that has no effective words to describe.
I am so grateful my husband can be with his dad at the end of his life.
This self-pitying bimbo should count her blessings. My mother died at age 67 after 6 months of illness after about 18 months retirement. You'll never miss anyone the way you miss your mom, and that's the truth.
Being there when they are dying is easy (I'm not sure if that's the right word, but it's the only one I can come up with right now). It's all the time leading up to it that's hard. when I realized my mother was in the dying process I was relieved that her suffering was ending and I knew she was on her way to a better place. It's wonderful that he can be there with him when he goes. It's a moment he'll never forget.
I agree that she was just being honest and was, in fact, chastising herself for her urge to whine. I work in long term care and every day I am reminded of what the future holds. Some days it feels like a prison for me; I can only imagine what it feels like for the patients. This woman had a loving mother; imagine the inner war that is waged when one is faced with caring for an aging parent who didn't care for their children. Many people try to the best for their parents anyway; others dump them and run.
He is scheduled to come home tomorrow. Not sure what he's going to do considering the situation.
I just wish it was over. For everyone's sake.
I spent a good part of my thirties taking care of my dying mother. It's just an adjustment you have to make. I think it's harder for people whose parents have always been extremely competent and independent, because they aren't used to demands suddenly flowing in the opposite direction. My mother hadn't been the independent type at all, so the transition to dealing with her physical health problems on top of her pre-existing emotional/mental issues was more gradual.
No, I know it's very difficult to take care of an aging parent - my husband (a nurse) and I once ran a church nursing home, and had to deal with many adult children who simply couldn't cope with their aging parents anymore. They felt guilty about not caring personally for their mother or father, but frankly, there was no way they could possibly have provided the type of care they needed. However, in some cases they had to take second jobs to pay for the nursing home.
But the article was all about her and had a very whiny tone.
no surprise then that she would put out such leftist, selfish twaddle!
You work in long-term care so you know what I'm talking about. As I prepare for the next part of my life, sometimes I think now that's all I really know now: taking care of elderly people. It's the only thing I did that was really important. (I never had children).
What a total loser.
." It's the only thing I did that was really important"
I can't think of anything more important.
My feelings exactly. Just a tad self-involved, are we? She is one of the reasons I hate to admit I'm a Baby-Boomer.
I'm curious as to why there are some here that think she is self-involved? Thinking about taking care of an elderly parent is the opposite of self-involved, in my estimation...please explain.
BUMP for later.
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