Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Discouragement

Mother is horribly discouraged.

The chemotherapy is making her very, very ill. Her hair is falling out. She's terribly frail.

AND, she's noticing that people are treating her differently. "There's pity in their eyes," she said last night. She doesn't like that and it makes her a bit edgy.

She even has questioned why it is that she needs to go through the trauma of chemo.

I tried to be encouraging.

"You're passed the half-way point, Mom," I said. "Hang in there just a little longer."

I also told her to promise me that she would call me anytime day or night when she got discouraged. I reminded her that I am here for her....and that if she needs me to run home...I will literally drop everything and come home.

She won't hear of it.

BUT, she did promise to call me.

I call her several times every day to see how she is doing. I tell her each time we talk how much I love her and how much she means to me. I also ask if there is anything she needs for me to do.....

She says that just hearing my voice is enough.

Gosh I hate this.

Why does this have to happen NOW?

1 comment:

A Troll At Sea said...

When is a good time to face the pain of the ones you love? I'm not sure there is one. But Hamlet was already saying that misfortunes come not singly, but in batallions. Lay in supplies and fortify your walls.

What was most helpful to me was finding people I could talk openly with in the flesh. We e-folks are fine and good, but what you really need is an ear of flesh.

Hang in there, Frank.
T@*