Saturday, November 16, 2013

Old Age Isn't for Sissies

Mom and Dad's 60th wedding anniversary November 24, 1999. They hadn't allowed me to give them a 50th wedding anniversary party but I had them at my house for their 60th.


“If I have to go back to the nursing home I’ll be dead in the morning,” my mom threatened.

“If she stays here, I’ll be dead in the morning,” replied my dad.

They were both believers but somehow through illness—my dad had Parkinson’s and congestive heart failure, my mom osteoarthritis—they had become desperate in their old age. 

I had prayed for wisdom.  I was supposed to know what to do.  I called the nursing facility.  The nurse told me that they would not force someone to come back there.  She then said that she wanted to talk to my mom.  After their conversation Mom handed me the phone and said, “Well, I guess I have to go back because I have a doctor’s appointment.”

When we arrived at the door, the nurse was standing there with a white coat on, and a stethoscope around her neck.  My mom smiled and said, “I hope I made it back in time for my appointment doctor.”  She was assured that she had made it back on time.

My mom never got to go back to my dad’s apartment after that but he visited her every day.  She had a cerebral hemorrhage several months later.  She is with the Lord now and thinking clearly again.  My dad went Home to be with her and with the Lord two years later.  They are having a great time I’m sure of it! 

As I look back sometimes I go over in my mind what we could have done differently. When friends were having trouble with elderly parents I shared what I had learned. I think that through our experience we were able to help others. 

 We can only see the path directly in front of us and not down the road into the future, so we walk by faith.

No comments:

Post a Comment