12/25/2024
I’m going to get personal..
I don’t mean to be a grinch or bah hum bug and I don’t ask for pity but this has been a very hard year physically and emotionally. There have been many losses this year for many of us. Wives, mothers, and grandmothers to name a few.
This year started a heavy progressive decline in health with my mother-in-law, and my husband and I, and his family navigated traveling back and forth out of state for months to care for her and then lose her in August.
Most of you don’t know because I don’t post about it but my mom also came to live with us in May of this year. She is very medically complex and requires more help. She and I have been very busy since May getting her established with all new doctors here in Columbus, changing meds and so so much more, while we were going back and forth to SC for my MIL AND trying to get our house done. This was going to be the year to be 100% complete. Unfortunately, with all the travel we ran out of time with the cold weather again. It is what it is. My mom was admitted to the hospital in November for 4 days. We have had multiple falls and multiple close falls. Unfortunately, this weekend she fell twice within 24 hours and had an abrupt change in weakness. Thankfully we ruled out stroke. But we are still stuck figuring out the abrupt change. Right now we are attributing it to a progression in her Parkinson’s but have also tested for an autoimmune condition called Myasthenias Gravis which can also be progressive. Needless to say we are still searching for answers and it will take time to get the results back for the autoimmune disease. She is so weak that it is recommended she go to a skilled nursing facility to build her strength back up. We all agree she needs this and that the goal is to be a short term thing with the intent to get back home. I will do everything I can to make sure she can get back home. This will give me time to make adjustments and continue to work on passport waiver. Unfortunately, as a nurse I know that in most cases once someone goes into skilled nursing they don’t come back out. Thankfully I know the business and I don’t give up or show mercy!
With all this being said, I came to say one simple thing and I took the long way to say it. I am not festive! It’s just another day for me and not one I wanted to prepare for. My mom and I both are not rich in family, friends or support. I am all she has. With that being said and the year we have had I have not had the time or motivation to send out Christmas cards to anyone! Thank you to those who we got cards from, we appreciate those who thought of us and know you were on our list but it never happened. Please know you are thought of, we appreciate you and we sincerely wish everyone a Merry Christmas. But if it wasn’t for having a granddaughter and her parents I would not have bought for anyone this year because that is how I feel. I thank God for the gift of our granddaughter Mia, my stepson EJ and our daughter-in-law Lauren. Having them and my husband Clif has filled my heart and I am very fortunate to have them. We are all struggling with loss this year and we are all just drained. Christmas tonight was just a small Christmas exchange compared to previous years and was mostly just about quality time together.
Everyone, please hug your loved ones. Focus on the time you have with them and not the gifts or status. Remember that you may be fortunate but not everyone is. Not everyone has loved ones to spend the holidays with, not everyone has support, and EVERYONE is going through SOMETHING. We all have struggles. Don’t judge others because there is always more to a picture, and there is always more behind a smile. If you read this thank you. And if you know my mom, please call or visit! She has lost so much this year and has been largely neglected and it has mentally taken a toll on her. If you read all this, thank you for sticking with it. She is at St. Anne’s in Westerville.
