I Finally Know What I Want to Be When I Grow Up

For decades, yes, decades, I would look upon those with careers with admiration. At the age of 54, I had yet to find my calling! I hear my daughter exclaiming already, but your were our mom and that was the best calling! Yes, my dearest, it was a good calling, but it did not pay the bills. What I did for most of those decades was work in the food industry in some form or another.

Here I am with my sister Patti appearing on the noontime TV show, CT Style.

 

A couple of  years after this photo was taken my dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer which had metastasized to his long bone (femur, pelvis). As he drew closer to the end of his life, it was winter, and I was working at The Old Inn on the Green. I was able to stop work and basically move in with my parents and help care for him. He was in and out of hospitals and SNIFS (Skilled Nursing Facilities) and I would go be with him there every day. He was an anxious old bird and always needed family around. Not to be insensitive, he suffered from terminal restlessness, and it was really horrific.  His famous two lines were, "What are we going to do?" and "I'm so glad you are here." What are we going to do, was not with voice raised at the end as in a question. It was more like Eyore the donkey might say it, with dread and moaning. Slowly saying each word ...What...Are...We...Going...To...Do!!!!!!! As in HELP! HELP! HELP! All we could do was to give him more drugs to calm him, play music he loved, and reassure him all would be well and we were taking care of him. Poor daddy!

 

I tell you this because I found out I truly enjoyed, yes enjoyed, caring for him. I did not mind any of the medical procedures, or long hours with him. I did not mind the constant reassuring of a mind that had no short term memory. I did not mind thinking about the ensuing death. In fact I was the family member that broke the news to him that there was nothing more we could do.

 

Soon after he passed, I was asked to care for another person. A family member of a friend. I joyfully said yes. I will never, ever regret that decision. I met the most wonderful family and husband and wife and learned so, so much from all of them. Papa Joe, who is now 91 still checks in on me.

 

During my time with them, his wife had a small stroke and ended up in rehab. As her caretaker, I wanted to learn the best ways to help her once she returned home. I chose to go to the rehab and watch her speech, occupational, and physical therapy sessions. It was in her occupational therapy session that I finally found what I wanted to do when I grew up. The light bulb when off almost immediately. I will share the experience with you tomorrow.

 

Be well my friends. No news yet on the CT scan. I am hoping no news is good news.