My mother has been significantly ill for the past month so I have spent more then my usual amount of time with her.  She got a staph infection from a break in the skin which gave her a serious skin infection called cellulitis.  That infection spread into her blood stream and made her septic which in layman's terms is "blood poisoning".  She was in the hospital for eight days and has been recovering back at the Home for two weeks.  She is very sad and weak and I hate seeing her this way. 

All of her life my mother has been the person who cared for everyone else. She raised five children who all dearly love her.  My father had a stroke when he was 64 years old and as a result fell off the porch roof where he was taking off storm windows and had multiple additional injuries.  He lived for nineteen more years and recovered more than anyone ever dreamed he could because of my mother and her care for him.  Since his death five years ago Mamma has systematically chosen one person at a time to help and has significantly impacted that person's quality of life. 

While Mamma was in the hospital a student nurse came in to interview her.  He asked her what word she would use to describe herself.  Her answer was "ugly".  Hearing that broke my heart.  My beautiful, very talented mother who is loved by everyone who meets her thinks of herself as ugly.  Mamma was born in Moscow, Russia.  She grew up in an all girls orphanage near Konstancian, Poland and came to the United States when she was eighteen with a choir that came to raise money to continue the work of the orphanage.  In God's providence she remained in the United States and graduated from Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio.  After graduation she married my father, a seminary student with no money, had five children in five years, she taught us all to sing, became a teacher after we were all raised, has written four books and has painted many beautiful oil paintings that she gave away and when she is asked how she would describe herself she says, "ugly".  I would desire to be so ugly!

If you are reading this please take a minute to pray that my mother will regain her strength and be happy again.

• Post A Comment! • Send to a Friend!

Posted by Jan in West Africa

Margie, what a poignant post, thank you for sharing about your mother. May the Lord give you much grace as you care for her, and may he strengthen her body, lift up her spirits and allow her to see how precious and lovely she is, especially in his eyes.

• Permanent Link

Posted by Anonymous

Surely your Mom's comment is just a reflection of being weary of her illness. I know that she knows first and foremost that she is a beloved child of God and so whatever way she meant “ugly” it is of no eternal importance. It is a reminder however to each of us to tell people how special they make us feel when they great us as warmly as your Mom does. Blessings on you both.

• Permanent Link

Posted by Anonymous

Surely your Mom's comment is just a reflection of being weary of her illness. I know that she knows first and foremost that she is a beloved child of God and so whatever way she meant “ugly” it is of no eternal importance. It is a reminder however to each of us to tell people how special they make us feel when they greet us as warmly as your Mom does. Blessings on you both.

• Permanent Link

Posted by Anonymous

I lost the link to your site for a time, and wish I had read this long ago. Your mom is such a beautiful beacon of light and beauty. I will pray for her even at this late time, as I know she is healing and getting stronger.
|||||| lynard

• Permanent Link

Posted by lilie

I hope she gets well soon.And becomes stronger.

lilie

• Permanent Link