I guess this is one of those rare times when it gets deep here...
After going through a stressful day of worrying about my mother-in-law's surgery today we were relieved to hear that everything went fine and that she's now recovering. Unfortunately our relief only lasted for few hours. Late this evening we got a call from one of my mom's friends informing us that she had taken my mother to the ER because mom was having some chest pain and trouble breathing. With mom's history of heart trouble (she had a triple-bypass done just four years ago) they decided to keep her overnight for observation and run some tests tomorrow.
Talking with my sister about it on the phone, we mentioned how preferable it was when we were younger, free of responsibility and our parents worried about us. Now, as the years race past us each one seemingly faster than the one before we find ourselves being the ones who worry about our parents. Now we're the ones who have to rearrange our routines so that we can spend time in hospitals, wondering and worrying about the people we care about most.
I'd like to think it's not so much about selfishness on our parts but more about wondering just when this happened. I don't remember getting older so how did they? We're faced with the stark realization that these people who we've known our whole lives won't always be there. And along with that realization comes the knowledge that our own children will go through similar thoughts and feelings about us in a future that will be here before we know it.
For now, mom is resting in a place where caring professionals are there to take care of her. I hope to know more in the morning and maybe get to talk with her, to reassure both her an myself that this isn't that dreaded yet inevitable day of goodbyes. Some call it a "circle of life" but sometimes it feels like a giant wheel that's bearing down on us at breakneck speed.
11 hours ago

