Things can change so quickly. This past week Mom began to languish. She stopped eating and getting up. By Friday I took a risk and called my sister Maryanne and her hub Bob and told them Mom wasn't doing very well. They decided to come so they arrived on Friday night. It felt good to have them here.
I'm converted to Hospice care. They are tremendously caring and helpful. They provide us with supplies and medicines, all at no cost to us and are present whenever needed. The amazing care Mom has received from the California medical and hospice service and the Colorado hospice has been free to her. Wow. I don't like the concept of socialized medical care but can't help feeling so grateful for this amazing service she has received. She has been embraced by all sorts of loving people. And so have we, just being near her. Friends have filled our days since our return to Colorado. Mom is so loved.
Mom has been bed-bound and food-less for a week or so. On Saturday she took a turn for the worse. She became fidgety and then totally tuned out, all in repeating cycles. I tried medicating her as directed and nothing changed her fidgeting. I called hospice and Jerome, a friendly medical guy, turned up. He gave us the guidance we needed to give her medication that knocked her out. She stayed that way for hours. By afternoon her lungs were filled with fluid and seeping into her mouth. It was a hard thing to see, but Jerome assured us that she was taking no notice of it and would just sweetly drift away. Wow, she was DYING! Bob and Layne gave her a release blessing Saturday afternoon, telling her it was OK to leave. Four hours later, she did.
Mary Margaret Knox Kiser passed sweetly away on June 18th at 9:15 PM, in the presence of family and friends. One of those friends, Steve Palmer, said he saw my father standing in the room by Mom's window. How comforting that was to me. I believe him! I have been telling Mom that Daddy would come to get her when the time was right. I believe he did. I feel that Mom, after three years of physical struggle, is finally free. She didn't want to go for quite awhile; I believe she had a hard time giving up her many plans for this life. But at last she let go. I picture her now with the many family members that have already gone. I see her dancing with Daddy. I feel her happiness.
But now we must adjust to her absence. How I will miss her. She has filled my time, space and thoughts for three years, not to mention the endless hours she invested in me as a caring mother.
Things often come in bunches. This weekend also brought our Mongolian foster daughter, Brynn Jantsen. She brought along a love interest named Roy Long. We so enjoyed them both. Brynn is helpful and supportive and seemed to be here at just the right time. She and Roy came on Friday. When I told Mom they were coming, Mom thought Roy was Brynn's ex-husband and said, "that man cannot sleep in this house! He hurt our girl." I smiled at that. Since Roy was not her ex-husband, he did stay at the house and added a positive influence to our sad affairs as Mom sunk. Brynn and Roy are gone now and we are making plans for Mom's memorial and the disposition of her many possessions. What a legacy she has left us. I'm so thankful!
Pictures: Top is Mom shortly before we brought her back to Colorado. Below her is Brynn and Roy.
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