Day 13- Progress not perfection!" Meet, Michi!"

bybrichnow21

1.6K followers

6 years ago

Good evening, morning, or afternoon, my friends!!

If, you're stopping by, to visit, you're still in the right place! Changed my profile...

Meet, Michi, my little pal, and best friend!! I love to travel, but it doesn't flying, doesn't fit my lifestyle. I can get ready for a trip, in a half hours, time, as necessary!

When, my Mom, had fractured her hip.up in Michigan, July of 2013! She was in rehab, and I was her available daughter! 2012, while going through, a much needed divorce, my ex, had a position in Yokohama, Japan!... Been there 8 times, all told. He would come home every 3 months, for some 3 weeks, and off again, he went!

Each, time, he came home, I was already packed, and headed out! "Sort your stuff, put it in storage! Have fun!...I'm out of, here! I'm off to Mom"s...See ya!!"...High level of "acceptance", of the things, I can't change! Thank you, God, for helping me out!

Before, Mom, had her fall, she was planning, on moving down, here, to live, with me.

She was racing around, trying to clean up, as a realtor was coming to show her house!

She tripped over her Boise,radio cord!,,,Mom, had no TV..."That garbage!" I, brought one up once, and she "no, thanks!"...Mom was,"One of a kind"! No one ever has met someone, like her! Virginia, was in a league of her own! Brilliant, opera singer, artist, stocks, politics...She only took to Wall street Journal, the rest was, "Pure, Rubbish!", and then she would critique that!...now that I've got this, writing thing, down...someday, I'll have to write about her, 'til, than,...I'll feed you snippets, along, the way, as was she, my driving force! I had an idea, and she let me go for it! Without any hesitation!! Perhaps, you can feel her energy, flowing through, me.

The , last year, with her, I made the road trip,1700 miles, each way, some 8 times, and everytime, with, Michi.

Michi, always, knows, when she's coming along, firstly, because, we've talked about, several days, ahead of time, but on occasion, as when Mom was in rehab, it was at a moment's notice! I have 2 trunks, a suitcase, and Michi's, green rolling bag!If, I only pull out a suitcase, she knows, she's not going...like a casino, trip with the girls!She'll, bout, but I reassure, her, Russ, my youngest, is coming, by to stay with her..

My cousins, really, Mom's first cousins, and my second, are the sweetest people, around. Christ...(pronounced, like wrist), would check on her, take her blood pressure, not really needed, but something, he could do, pick up her newspaper, for recycling...Mom had no interest, in that, either!!!...visit with her, for awhile. Christ, knew, when, Mom needed me! " Hey, Barb, Heartland says, Mom giving her therapists, a hard times!'...Okay, Christ! You mean, "She not playing well with others", again?... tell her, I'm. on my way! Let you know, my ETA!"...Half hour, later...On our way!

Raised in the Serbian/Greek Orthodox, faith, American, Christmas, was in. December, but the Orthodox, Christmas, is January, 7th!

I'd been up Halloween, Thanksgiving,and..thought she been doing okay...

Back up! When, the fracture occurred, they found, that her she had advanced, kidney, disease, due to her gout medicine!! They wanted to put her on dialysis!..."Get out of my room! No! End of discussion!, she, politely informed her doctor!! My, sister, Marina, would caution, visitors,"Yes, you can go in, but don't mention, the "D" word."

Mom, was a cook-alaholic! First, thing, when, I'd, say I was on my way? "Oh, good, I can make some Shrimp Creole! She, just loved it! She always, used preventative medicine...way back, as a child! Spoonful of cod liver oil, in the wintertime, and aspirin, if necessary...was about it. Never, fat, but full-figured.She believed, if you ate, right, that is enough, and we all were, physically, healthy.

After, rehab, she wanted to go home, but seeing, how it really, would, be, see asked, we look into, a place, for her. September, I went up to help, her move, items she'd need, as it was partially, furnished, but we could bring some of her favorite art, my, first stained glass, piece, a lamp, table...

Mom, loved, Michi, and the nursing home, which, was just wonderful, allowed, Michi, to come, too! We'd get off the elevator, and Michi, would run ahead, straight to her room, and jump, on the couch, or bed!...as I'm reading this, aloud, Michi, just came over to sit with me!

Christmas, was coming, and I debated, to go up, knowing she could really, care, less, about, that, but a visit, anyway, was good, anytime. Russ, had not seen, Grandma, for about 10 years, with work, and all. He got laid off, so my sister suggested, that since, I'd decided to go, there, after all, I should take him!

Mom, had 4 grand children, my 2, in Texas, and my sisters, in Boston, and New York. She decided to knit sweaters, for the kids, first, being, Russell! Gosh...if you know, Texas, weather...really, Mom!! Russ, got his sweater, a year before this trip, and, just, cried, "It feels like a big, warm, hug from Grandma!" Beautiful, slate/blue sweater vest!I told, my, cousin, Christ, "Tell, Mom, I'm coming, after all, and I'm bringing her, a surprise!"

We arrived, Friday, the 20th, and Christmas Day, was the following, Wednesday. Upon, arriving, Michi, ran a announced, our arrival, and then I followed with, Russ, behind wearing his beautiful sweater. Mom, just about leaped, from her, bed...she was so happy!! While, she and visit, visited, I asked, her caregiver, how she felt, Mom was doing, and she said, well there's swelling...maybe couple of weeks...But, she was not in pain...morphine, probably, helped, but she was in great spirits! Always, a sharp mind!

Day before Christmas, eve, while visiting, her, she had received, a package, from my sister, some books, from the resale shop, where my sister has volunteered, for years,and pair of Santa Claus, socks, and candy! I opened, the package, for her, and when she saw the socks, she said, "Let, me have them, please, my hands, are cold." So there's Mom about ready for bed, with Santa Claus, on her hands, now, warm.

As it, was getting, late...I, tucked her into bed, kissed her goodnight, hugged, told her, " I love, you, Mom, and see you, in the morning."

Five o'clock, in the morning, telephone calls, are, rather, alarming. Christ, called, and said, the home, had called, Mom had had a "change in status", and we needed to come.

When, arrived, first...she was, just, like I had left, without her Santa Claus socks, but just the same, but she was gone, Christmas Eve! I kissed, her good-bye, and told her I loved, for the last time.

I, thought, to myself...How cool, Mom! What a great day, to meet, your Creator!

God, again, had, put me, and, my son, right where, He wanted us, to be, doing. His will not ours!

My song for tonight..."If Tomorrow, Never Comes"- Garth Brooks

If, tomorrow, never, comes, will she know how much I loved, her...

Did I try, in, every, way to show her everyday, that, She's my only one.

And, if, my time on Earth, were through, and she must face this world, without,me,

Is the love, I gave her in the past, gonna be enough, to last,

If, tomorrow, never comes...

Don't wait to mend, those fractured, relationships...Tell, all of those people, you love them, and show them, everyday!

Good night, everyone!

Love, from me to you! God bless you, and thank you, for being in my life!

Barb