Amazed

Today has been such an emotional day for us. My beautiful, mentally alert, 97 year old mother-in-law had to have her right leg amputated, just below the knee. This has been one of the most gut wrenching things to even imagine. This shouldn't happen to anyone, but especially someone that has lived this long.


The first 6 years of our marriage, this woman did so many things to ruin our marriage. I don't know that it was that she hated me, I think she just wanted her son to move back home. In 1974, her brother passed away, and a month later, I lost my brother. I think that was what bonded us, and we became the best of friends. This is a woman that has never harmed anyone her entire life, except for that brief period in our lives.














So today, this beautiful woman had to go thru such a horrific ordeal. This is a woman that has never been seen in public, without powder, rouge, and lipstick. In her day, she was a WOW! She just had her hair done a day or so before she was admitted to the hospital, and yes she is a red head!!!!

The hardest part of this day was when they came to get her to go down to surgery. Darleen, Don and I were there. We had all talked to her, and she was doing pretty well. As they started wheeling her away, she raised up, and grabbed at me and called my name. OMG, my heart just totally melted. We have been somewhat estranged for the past 4 years. She let me know at that moment, I was still her best friend.



The surgery took longer than first anticipated. It was one of the longest days I have ever put in. I spent the whole time with Don and his nephew, David. Darleen sat by herself, just because none of us can stand being anywhere near her, but we just won't go there. When we finally got to see "Mom", she looked gorgeous, seriously, gorgeous. She was smiling, no pain, and doing great. She was a bit teary at times, but not bad. We all got a chuckle when I told her she looked gorgeous, and she said, "well, they did put rouge on me". I said, well, did they put lipstick on also, she chuckled and said, "yes, I think so."

Guess I should mention, these pics are from Don's retirement party, June 20, 2007. These are of Don, Me, our daughters, our grandkids, Me, and Don's nephew, David.