A REMARKABLE WOMAN

March 30, 2010, was the day my life changed forever.  That was the day my mom died.  I should have posted this on the anniversary of her death.  It is not just that day that's hard for me. That day, through Mother's Day, is a difficult time for me.

I wrote the following piece after Mom died.  My sister-in-law read it at her funeral for me.  I'm proud of it.  It shows how committed my mom was to giving me the best life possible. 

My mother dedicated her life to me.   She was my sole caregiver until the age of eighty-seven.  After we had help she was still overseeing everything, making sure my caregivers did everything the right way.  We did not get twenty-four-hour help until last August.  She was still assisting me at night, by herself, up until that time.  Pretty amazing, when you consider she was ninety-one years old.

My mother made sure I didn’t miss out on anything I wanted to do.  When I was little I wanted to be in the Girl Scouts.  Mom would leave our grocery store to meet my school bus at a stop along the route and take me to my troop meeting.  She didn’t want me to be late.

I was in Shriners Hospital for over three months when I was eleven.  Mom visited me faithfully.  The one day she was unable to visit she sent me a card.

After I graduated Mom drove me to job interviews.  When I got a part-time job, she made sure I got there on time every day.

We went on a cruise to Alaska one summer.  One of the side trips was flying over Glacier Bay in a little piper cub.  I had trouble keeping my balance on the plane.  I kept falling over.  I was nauseous and scared to death.  Mom loved it.  She kept saying how beautiful Glacier Bay was.  I had to take her word for it.  I was too busy praying. 
 
And, how many other eighty-one-year-old women can rock out at a Cher
concert?  My mom did.  

My mother was my caregiver, cheerleader, my sounding board, and my support system.  Without her love and support, I would have accomplished nothing in my life. Thank you, Mom.  I love you.  I’ll miss you every day.