After 8 years of loving service and devotion, with personal sacrifice, my wife Sharon White has passed the torch of Aunt Susie’s care on to the professionals at Mountain Park Memory Care.
Susie is still quite competent for most of the day and evening, but her lapses due to 93 years of age made it impossible for her to live at home without all day care options, which became unavailable.
I cared for her brother Beryl ( my father) and kept him in his home until his death. He had severe dementia from 2013-2017, so I took early retirement to be present for his needs. Being present for him, and his big, rambunctious dog, almost did me in, while keeping Sharon busy, too. I derived enough insight and “benefit” from my care of my father, that I was inspired to write several (unpublished) books. His death process, ultimately, helped to enlighten me as to my internal “tricksters”, and eventually help to empty me of my mistaken understanding of who I was. Too bad that her daughter, who is severely depressed, had no intention to embark on that most difficult healing path.
I could not give up what little is left of my life to keep Susie at home. Sharon tried her hardest though.
We now have Susie’s cat, named Sassy, living with us, as the Center would not accept pets. Sassy continues to hide from me, being scared of her “new people”. I can only imagine the terror and confusion that my Aunt Susie is now experiencing in the Center, her new home as of today.
Argh, it was so much easier to be young, ignorant, and carefree.
Watching beloved family members, friends, companion animals, and, ultimately myself, deteriorate, suffer and die is life’s greatest challenge. It is heartbreaking and gutwrenching stuff.
Compassion and love for others, and for ourselves, are our greatest assets and treasures, and helps us to rise high enough, spiritually, to meet those challenges..
Cultivating these qualities eventually changes the world, and, ultimately, my response to it..
It is the difficult work of an engaged Life.
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1 Comment
rkcdlitt · March 16, 2022 at 11:49 AM
May God comfort you in these trials
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