Mom, My Hero, My Very Best Friend 1937 - 2007

I never thought when I posted on June 12 last week that in the middle of the night, 3:45AM on Wednesday morning to be exact, Dr. Ball would be calling me and say..... "Your mom is gone." I didn't register it... it couldn't be... gone ... what? did she walk out of her hospital room?... no I knew what he meant.... she had left this world for her eternal reward in Heaven. Oh it hurts terribly to even type it out as reality right now... and its been over a week ago now...

The Funeral for MOM was beautiful. Her and our former pastor of 17 years (Tim Coalter) came back to Roanoke to share her main eulogy and our current pastor (Milton Atkins) officiated. Roses were the theme, from the intricate detail on her casket in red roses, to the huge mounding bouquet of Red Roses from us, her children and her grandchildren, on to the poem titled, "My Roses" my sister wrote on the night after she left us, and finally to the song we used as background on the slide show of her photos and we had a friend of the family to sing live at the funeral itself.

She was our perfect rose in our life and now she has obtained her new body and her new mind as she rejoices for running the race.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts, your prayers, your cards, your calls, and your special caring for the family during this time.

We love her and miss her and will forever long for her presence; but do know that we will see her again, someday as we live for Him.

Mom's Sickness

Mom's sick. Where do I begin? Do I begin with her being rushed to the emergency room on Thursday when her oxygen was so low and her BP so low that after the fact her doctor shared that he didn't think she was going to make it? Or do I begin with her being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a few years ago, after we tried to tell her doctors that way back in 2001 or 2002? It's been at least five years we have been dealing with concerns that progressively got worse and more and more alarming. We sold her house in 2004 or 2005, when she moved in with Mary and she seemed to give up... she didn't enjoy life, her grandchildren, holidays; things that always made her smile didn't even matter anymore to her. Oh and there was this David character that she was convinced was visiting her and was going to marry her.... we never did figure out where he came from, but he was real to her just the same.

It hurts to think about what she has been through, to write it out here... but it helps.

Keep it real... that's what i say ... keep it real. Real is sometimes harsh but real just the same...

Real is pneumonia and swallowing being an issue because Alzheimer’s causes your body to lose the sensation in your throat that makes you swallow. Real is not knowing who your children are or when they have a birthday because this disease takes over your mind. Real is realizing no matter how sweet, dependable, diligent, efficient, faithful, long-suffering, loyal, or wonderful a person is, you can wake up one day and get this or another disease that can strip your life away from you. It's not fair, that's what "real" is. Life is not fair.

I know this sounds cynical and I am grateful that God is helping me - to be strong - but I must vent how much it hurts to see someone so undeserving end up at this point in their life. But many people end up with what's not deserved.... many people... not just my mom.