As you get older you appreciate your parents more. It's amazing how much smarter the parents are, as you, yourself, get older! LOL I'd like to tell you about my mom. I didn't always appreciate my mom. I always loved her but like many kids, I was selfish and didn't think about her. Mom is just mom, you don't think about what they like or don't like. You rarely see your mom outside of the mom role. This month has been a tough month for her and I've been thinking about her and her life and several things occured to me. The observation that stands out the most is just how strong my she is. My mom is 68 years old now and has had a good life. It's not been w/o hardship though. Her parents were entertainers, my Nana was a dancer, my grandpa was a drummer. They traveled and she got to meet many well known celebrities, however those celebrities were just starting out at that time.When she was little and still in the stroller she and her mom were hit by a car. Later, she was in a flash flood with her dad. They had times of poverty eating can after can of Dinty Moore Stew. She does not like DM Stew! LOL. Skipping ahead to her adult years, she married, divorced and remarried. She's had countless medical procedures. She's had breast cancer twice, 20+ years apart, both resulting in a mastectomies. She has also had cervical cancer which was discovered during her Hysterectomy. This form of cancer was an aggresive kind and it was discovered by accident but at the right time. Her most recent breast cancer is now being treated by a long term form of Chemo. She's also been suffering for the last year with a type of Vertigo She has diabetes and other medical problems, such as Fibromyalgia and Arthritis. She has run two businesses, one out of the home and one outside the home. She ran these along with my stepdad, but one was more her's to run as she saw fit. She's helped out at Art shows, like the kind you see in Malls. She's been on a bowling league, a ladies police auxillary and a few other groups too.

My mom has always been there to help me whenever she was able . She was there to help when my daughter was born. She came down when Brandon was born and helped take care of things. Mom came down when I had wrist surgery. Brandon was little and so I def needed her help. She was with me when I had my Hysterectomy and took care of the kids and the house while I recovered, thereby lifting the alot of the burden off my hubby so he could work and make a living for us .She had also helped me move several times. Mom came down the first week of May with the intention of helping us set up our new house. She was here a week when she got the sad news that her MIL was told that she was dying from congestive heart failure. Hazel, her MIL was given two weeks to two months to live. Mom was torn, she wanted to stay with us but she also knew she was needed more in Oregon. So cutting her visit short, she flew home (WA), repacked and headed to Oregon to be with her MIL. At first there were no immediate changes in Hazel but as time went on the decline was apparent. My mom cared for 99% of Hazel's every need. She made sure she ate, she helped her to the potty, helped her in and out of bed, in and out of her chair. She cleaned her house, did her laundry, shopped, made sure that she had, and took, the medication that was needed. Hospice was involved and they coached her through every step of the way. It got to the point where my mom was physically not able to muscle Hazel up and down and she needed help. The family nearby stepped in to help her out a little more. Finally the decline in Hazel was such that two people needed to be with her to get her in and out of bed, and to take care of any other needs that arose. My mom was up many nights prior to that checking on her. Much sleep was lost but. Hazel needed her and she was going to see this through. Finally the time came and Hazel was totally bed ridden and it was to the point where they (with instructions of the hospice nurse) were 'keeping her comfortable" through medication. The family gathered at this point and no one slept. They took turns holding Hazel's hand and talking to her, comforting her. We don't know if Hazel was aware that anyone was there, the pain medication was working and she was not in pain. Then at 11:05 on Monday, June 29, Hazel slipped away. Mom was there, with the family and then they made the needed phone calls. Now they are making the arrangements for the funeral. My mom is exhausted but things still need to be done. She's cried a lot. She has not been to her home for more than one night since May 8th.She only had two days away as a break in all this time. She's very tired. After the funeral, they will lock up the house and everyone will go to their homes and rest. Then later they will start going through and cleaning out the house for an eventual sale.

My point in all of this is that my mom is strong woman and I love her and appreciate her more and more as the days go on. Mom, you're quite a woman! And I love you.

Mom is home now and sleeping in her own bed. They will be traveling down to OR next week to wrap up loose ends and be at the funeral.

�@

I will miss Hazel my 'step' grandma. She was kind and considerate. She never missed a birthday or holiday card. She always included my kids as her own grandkids and remembered to acknowledge whatever special event we were celebrating. She opened her home to us to visit and would call us on the phone every now and then.She was a sweet lady. We will miss her.