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We Took Turns Being Her Strength
Two sisters, one devoted mother, and a five-year journey of love
By Laura Hunter, via Well Beings Share Your Caregiving Story
My sister (Heather) and I (Laura) took care of my 86-year-old Mom…and we worked 40 hours at a job. We had to work. Heather was 50-something, and I was 60-something. We took turns, Heather handled the mornings, i.e., medications and breakfast. etc. Then, she would go to work in the evening when I got home, and I would take care of medications, dinner, etc. I would always ask my mom, “What would you like for dinner?” And she would say, “Anything is fine.” My Mom was a pleasant patient, thank God. My mom knew how it was. She used to take care of my great aunt, and she was mean. If you went too close to her, she would pinch you.
I would take my mom to doctor appointments. I would take her out every Friday to a nice dinner, shop at the mall, and go to the casino. We had a lot of fun. I would take my mom in a wheelchair since she was kind of unstable on her feet with neuropathy, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
We lived with her. She did not want to live alone. It wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t hard. I figured my mother and father gave us five children a nice life. It’s the least we can do. My mother said, “It is the hardest job you’ll ever have to do.” We took care of her for five years, and she passed in the hospital in 2017 on Christmas Eve. We brought a tree into the hospital and made it like Christmas for her.
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