I mentioned in a post a while back about how important
having a support system is to someone who is either chronic or terminally ill. As I also mentioned if you want to test a relationship
you are in that is defiantly the way in which people in your life will be
tested, it could be a spouse, a family member, a friend or even someone you are
dating. You may be surprised to find
that those you think you can count on will distance themselves and those you
never thought would be there are.
This past week we decided to take a trip as many of you
may know just a few days down to the states.
Not earth shattering but to someone who is housebound for many days in a
row it was like taking one of my more exciting holidays I took such pleasure in
going on when I was better. We also
brought my mom who is 84.
Imagine you taking on this challenge that my husband has,
he is going to take me who we had to wait until the day we left to be certain I
would be well enough to sit in a car for any length of time and an elderly
person who also has also has hard time walking, can no longer see very well nor
is their hearing very good. I knew to
some degree how mom's hearing and sight were going but being together for a
week really made me realize by how much, and as always I am grateful to spend
time with her when so many of my friends no longer have their parents in their
lives.
Would you or could you take on a vacation like that? I watched my husband all week with a profound sense love and
respect and questioned myself if I could I if put in that position? We all like
to think we could or would but I wonder how many really could if put to the
test...I think you would be surprised by how many could not. My husband works a
very stressful job (like so many today in our world) and was willing to take on
a less than restful week with two people who can't do much for themselves,
because he knew how much we needed a break from sitting in our homes.
We had a lovely time as you saw from the few pictures I
posted if you saw them, what you did not see was the striking pose we made
walking both mom and I with our canes and Chris walking between us to be sure
on one side he guided my mom because her sight is not that great, and the other
hand free to grab me at the waist to
stop from falling over. That my friends
and family takes a different type of person in this world one that is hard to
find and I am so thankful that I have
been blessed at the right time in my life to have.
I do hope you all have a rock in your life you will never
know when you will need that person. We
all think like I did that it will never happen in your lives but statistically
speaking in my small circle I know or have known many terminally ill or chronic
ill people and know how quickly our lives can be changed in an instant.
One conversation when Chris and I were sitting out on the balcony of our hotel and I told him how much I appreciated all he did for mom and I to enjoy a little get away, he said it was nothing and how could he not for two of the people he loves that are in his life. He turned the conversation around and started singing to me You've Made Me So Very Happy, how can a girl not fall for that and I in turn feel the same:
Think to yourself tonight could I take a holiday on like
this or spend every weekend off from work to help those we say we love and
would care for when healthy, but will only be challenged if our loved ones health
was to change on a dime....I hope the answer is yes.
