Saturday, February 23, 2013

A Thousand Fibers




It’s been a crazy month! I think I’ll be happy to be done with February. It started off with my sister going away on vacation. She and I share the responsibility of caring for our mother. Before she left, she made lots of lists. There was a lot to be done, but truthfully, I wasn’t too worried. I thought I had everything under control.


During the twelve days she was on a cruise (thankfully, not THAT one) we had one blizzard, three lesser snowstorms, one doctor’s visit, three medications that resulted in multiple complications, two falls (luckily, no broken bones), three early morning visits from the paramedics, and 12 hours in the ER.
I am exhausted. 
And SO glad that my sister is back home and Mom is finally on the mend.

While we were in the thick of it, I was pretty overwhelmed. One of the things that got me through were the little snatches of time each morning reading from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, which offered words of strength and encouragement.



The other thing that got me through was the people.

  • My daughter, who stayed with my mom to keep a fire going when she lost power during the blizzard.
  • The paramedics, who can make a person smile even when they’re scraping them off the floor – literally.
  • The policeman who was sympathetic to my situation after he pulled me over for speeding at 2 A.M. as I rushed to let the paramedics in.
  • The nurse in the ER who worked with my mom years ago, and the familiar face who greeted her upstairs when she was later admitted.
  • My other sister, who read and responded with patience and understanding to every Facebook message rant I sent her.

These people were single strands that together formed a strong network which provided strength to both my mother and I through the ordeal.

“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.”
-         Herman Melville






Mom is finally on the mend. Now I just have to get through the housewarming party we’re throwing for my daughter tomorrow. Oh, and did I mention there’s another storm on the way?

How has your February been?