RIP Mom

My mother passed away last night. She just turned 80 on February 11th. The last year she has been a blessing for me and likely saved the life she gave to me. I was in terrible dire straits since having a stroke one year ago, the day before her birthday and I was unable to live on my own for quite some time. When the money ran out because I could not work and disability was busy denying me benfits, which I am still fighting for, she gave me a place to live, rent free when I could no longer pay my rent and got booted out by my landlord in Schenectady. So I have been lving here in Saratogae since last March after being released from the hospitol.

I owe her more than I can thank her for. I am sure she has risin to Heaven, or will very shortly, to be with my Dad, who died 4 years ago next week. We thought Mom would hang on to go on the same day, but she was no longer able to breathe and did not want to be kept alive on a resperator. She had been a nurse for many years and took care of many patients under those circumstances and did not want to be an empty shell waiting for others to let her go to Heaven.

Her last day was restful and seemingly without pain or discomfort.

I'm glad I was able to spend this last year with her. It brought us closer than we have been for many years. So while I would never wish others to go through what I have been through from my stroke, in a way it was a blessing in disguise to heal old wounds and give us a chance to help each other out in ways we never did all our lives. The last month was difficult work for me, as I was doing everything for her from feeding her to helping her use the bathroom. That's something I never thought I'd be doing, but she did it for me when I was a baby and she helped me out in so many ways, especially the first few months after the stroke when I was having a hard time just surviving and didn't much care if I did.

So thank you Mom for everything you did for me from before I was born and that you continue to do for me for as long after your death that I live.

Peace and Rest in Peace Mom,
Joseph