Next week, I'm heading up to my parents' house for a while. My dad is having a heart valve replaced, and I'll be helping take care of my grandma while my mom is at the hospital with my dad. (My house will not be unattended, as John and youngest daughter will still be home while I'm gone.)
Today, my mom e-mailed me a document explaining Grandma's care. The pdf file came with some apology; my mom realized that the 10-page, single-spaced document might be interpreted as an indication I had no clue how to do anything. When it comes to caring for an elderly grandparent, I really do have no clue, so all the detail was definitely welcome.
I was overwhelmed as I read through the instructions--not because of the task in front of me, but because of my sudden realization of everything my mom does for my grandma. Even though I was there last summer, the subtlety in the details escaped me. From dawn til dusk, and throughout the night, my mom makes my grandma feel safe and secure.
Accompanying your husband to the hospital while he undergoes heart surgery hardly counts as a vacation, but I do hope that my mom will be able to rest assured that (thanks to her instructions) Grandma and I will be just fine together.
Thanks for wonderful women who have set great examples for me.
Sons and daughters who care for aging parents are surely earning their crowns in heaven! My mom cared for a brother dying of cancer, her aged father, and my dad's aged and senile mother. She set such a good example for us, but died before any of us got the privilege of taking care of her. Bless you for what you're doing.
ReplyDeleteNice little heads-up for the would-be burglars. :)
ReplyDeleteThere are so many people who work so hard in caring for their loved ones without complaint. Your mom is a great example for you as well as your kids and everyone else who knows her.
I'll pray for your dad.
I admire those who care for extended family in or out of their own home. God Bless your mother for caring so much for your grandmother. May your fathers surgery go well and may your mother get the respite that she deserves.
ReplyDeleteYour Mom really is a wonderful example. You are lucky to have each other.
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