Monday, August 23, 2010

Taking Care of Our Parents: It's Pay back Time

SARTHE, HAITI - MARCH 01:  Frisnel Jeune (L), ...Image by Getty Images via @daylife


     My mother recently had her partial hip replacement surgery.  It was the result of a bad fall she experienced a few months ago.  At first, I was hoping that no fracture had ever occurred in her lower extremities.  Well, I never wanted to be in the hospital because it has been a long time since the last time I set foot in that establishment.  My heart was beating faster when we went to Orthopedic hospital for a check up one week after her fall.  So many thoughts were running in my mind like how could I possibly blog when I had to be with her in the hospital?; how could I submit my entries in a contest that I was joining that time?; how could I practice the techniques that I learned from the seminar that I recently attended?  Guess what?  It became automatic for me to use a technique that I learned from the seminar and it worked.  No, we were not advised to go home.  We were told that my mother had to be confined because there was indeed a fracture on her thigh bone.  On the neck of her right femur to be exact.  The head was affected and had to be replaced with prosthesis.  So, I conceded and accepted that I would be sleeping in the hospital until the doctor tells us to go home.

     We were taken to a room filled with aging female patients with one of their legs placed in a traction.  That was awful and I felt sad about it.  But then, the technique was working that time.  People seemed nice to us, a caregiver gave me a seat and somebody lent an electric fan to us.  My mother and I survived the first night as we just ignored the heat that we felt that time.

     I just did what I had to do.  I went on with writing my entries and submitted them.  But I had to set aside my blogging for the time being.  My schedule would not permit me, it was too tight.  Gradually, we gained new friends  and we never experienced boredom and fear at that moment.  My mother had a successful operation and to my surprised, a former student showed up to be my mom's therapist.  Truly, when you thought of good things and just relaxed, too many wonderful moments would happen in your life.  We relived some good moments and I got a brief review of what to expect once the patient got out of the hospital.  I graduated with a degree in Physical Therapy but I no longer practice the course.  Good thing, an acquaintance popped up and gave me a good lecture about my mom's condition.

     It has been more than three months since my mom's operation and she is doing well.  Although we have not gone back to her doctor, I still do what is to be done and I surf the net if I need something to learn about her condition.  I gave my time for her, much of my time.  Sometimes, I think about the book that I am writing.  I stopped writing the draft when she was in the hospital and until now I have not written a single word as follow up for the draft.  I look at my calendar and it says that three months had passed since the last time I got hold of the draft.  Yes, there are times that I feel left behind by colleagues and I secretly envy their success stories.  They have more great happenings and they seem to be enjoying their life.  But when I look at my mom, I know that I will get more than what other people have received and that is for sure.  I am paying her back for what she had done to me when I was just crawling and needing love and affection.  Even our Pastors are telling me that I will be receiving more blessings because I take care of my own parent.  Wow, I hope those blessings are aligned to what I have been praying for.  I know God is always listening to me.

     By the way, I would like to tell that my entries were chosen and that I had won thousands for that.  Furthermore, I learned how to cook although I could never imitate the way my mom cook her specialties, still I take pride with what I have gained so far.  I continue to do the techniques I got from the seminar and I always put in my mind that my reaction is more important than the circumstances I am experiencing at the moment.  I look for the good in it and I find some from it.  This is part of my journey and there is always a lesson to learn that will inspire me to continue my mission.  The blessings that will come to me are good motivators and I know that I am deserving of them.

     It feels good that I can serve now that I am still strong and able to do what should be done.  It would be a pity when I am called for something that I could no longer perform simply because my muscles and bones would not permit me.  Parents are there to support  us and we should pay them back when it is time for us to do so.  That is life.  Going against the grain is not allowed.  Or you would be really left behind as your colleagues start collecting their blessings...and even yours.


     






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