My mom

Thank you to all who have expressed concern about my mom.  She's now in a rehab portion of the hospital. It sounds like she is getting better after her stroke(s), but then I hear a report from a sibling or my dad that worries me about her long-term outlook.

 

(me and my mom circa 1999 when I was home for a break from college)

I worry because she's the only mom I've got, and I feel I haven't been able to have a better relationship with her these past few years. We disagreed on some things, and geography is the biggest obstacle; she's several states away. But I could have been much better at FaceTime or calling instead of texting, or writing notes or sending cards or so many things.

I regret that the last few texts I sent to her last week, were all about me. They were often about me lately. My pain, my sadness, or asking for advice on this or that with the boys, or talking all about how the boys were doing.  I didn't ask her much about how she was doing.
 

 

(November 2003)

I feel guilty for not taking her health concerns seriously enough in the past few years, or for not recognizing warning signs -- perhaps she would have listened to me? But she's the mom, you know?

I hope that everything will be fine. People say recovery can take time, and that prognosis can be good with the right medication, speech therapy, occupational therapy, etc. 

(My mom with baby James in June 2013)

I pray the things I love most about my mom will remain. Her humor, her care for others, the memories of her childhood and mine, her mothering/pregnancy/breastfeeding advice, her hugs and kisses on my cheek, her talents.

Mom, if you read this someday in the future -- and I pray that you do -- I love you.