The day I “got the call” the movers were at my house packing
for our move to Idaho. It was not
completely unexpected, but at the same time, it was.
In October my sister
and mother took an “epic trip” across the country visiting friends, family,
historical sites, and national parks. Mom, of course, began her journey in CT
and took the train to Philadelphia where she joined my sister and they began
the drive: final destination- Seattle, WA.
My farm was the 1st stop on the journey which took just over
2 weeks.
At 85 mom seemed to be in fabulous health. She was mentally sharp, lived in her own home
without any assistance, had plans for the future, and appeared that she would live forever. My sister had no reservations about having
her as a co-pilot. Not to worry, this
story will not prove my sister wrong- she wasn’t. Mom proved to be a very able navigator and
driver- and an overall great traveling companion. This trip
was a huge success and both mom and my sister had the “trip of a lifetime”. Some of the highlights involved visiting
sites of historically family significance, such as ,
The Gallup House my
mother’s mother’s birthplace and childhood home in IA, and a church in Deer
Park, WA that my mother’s grandfather helped establish.
Upon reaching Seattle my mom commented that she was a bit
constipated- well, ok, they just spent 2+ weeks in a car. Once home, mom went to visit her doctor about
the persistent issue- although she continued to attend dinner parties and luncheons. In November her doctor sent her to the ER,
where she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon cancer. That was November 16th, and the
decline was rapid. I did get to visit
her in both November and December- both times she was in the hospital, and both
times we did get to enjoy each other’s uninterrupted company, although not
under ideal circumstances.
How lucky that our mother didn’t experience prolonged
suffering. When my mom and sister took
their trip, they had no idea of the pending troubles. They were able to enjoy the trip without
sadness and grief. I am a bit jealous of
the time my sister got spend with my mom, but I am So Thankful that they took
that trip together. I am so Thankful
that my mother got to see these family places, and visit with family along the
way. As always, I am SO THANKFUL that
she is my mother. Mom, I love you more
than tongue can tell and words can write.
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