Pat and Jerry are working hard at getting Mom’s condo ready for its new owners. I am very thankful for their willingness to get in and get this done as quickly as possible!!
As I look back over the past 3 years I realize there are so many reasons to be thankful for my family. Even though we don’t always work together or plan what is to happen next it always seems to fall into place. All of us have put in some busy days, weeks and sometimes even months. I realize that I don’t know everything that everyone has done and this isn’t meant to be an accurate accounting or attempt to 'keep track'; but I am aware that we have all contributed a great deal and for that I want to say “Thank You” to my sisters and brother.
Three years ago when Mom had her first surgery Pat and Dianne spent long hours at the hospital. Dianne moved in with Mom working from “home” (away-from-home) to keep up with her paying job while tending to Mom’s needs during recovery.
Bruce has been there off and on (sometimes more on than off) as Mom needed someone to take her to the doctor; sit at the hospital with her for hours on end; or be at her bedside at home when she was unable to care for herself.
Others were there too; Joe and Kari, Irene and Jo, Jay, Doral and Leah, to mention a few. They ran errands, cooked for her, took her to the doctor, stayed with her and provided care and comfort when it was needed. We are fortunate that Mom had so many close friends and extended family members who were willing to be there when none of us “kids” were available.
I gave Dianne a couple of breaks during the first recovery time and she did the same for me after Mom’s surgery last summer.
I came back home before Mom was ready to travel, so Dianne and her friend Janie packed her up and drove her to Dianne’s for a short stay. Then John bought Mom south and we headed north meeting up in the middle to get Mom & a pickup full of her belongings moved to our house.
Pat & Dianne with help from Jerry, John & Erich cleaned out and packed up Mom’s belongings when she decided the move to California was going to be permanent. Then Jerry and Pat drove the rental truck down here, unloaded it and helped get the bigger items put in place for Mom’s use.
Bruce and Joe cleaned, painted and did repairs to the condo so it could be listed for sale.
Dianne & John dropped everything and came as soon as we got the diagnosis that the cancer was back and untreatable. They were here within a day. Then Dianne came again when I was in desperate need of a break.
Near the end Bruce came for a weekend but stayed for a full week when he realized how close the end was, and that I couldn’t handle the lifting and being up at all hours of the night on my own.
When it came time to plan a Memorial service John was on top of it. Everyone contributed and it was an amazing tribute to our Mother, Mother-in-Law, Grandmother.
Since then Jerry and Pat have carried the brunt of the burden; replacing carpeting and cleaning up the condo, dealing with the realtor and now doing a lot of minor repairs and arranging for other things to be done by professionals.
None of us could have done all of this on our own and fortunately no one had to try. Thanks everyone for being there and doing what needed to be done.
