My mother's mother fell and broker her hip Thanksgiving of 2003. She never walked again and was in a nursing home from that point forward with the exception of the short period that my mother brought her home & tried to care for her herself! At that time, my grandmother was 95 and my mother was 77. In September of 2005 my mother's health declined. She had weakness in her legs and balance problems. I believe this stemmed from her trying to take care of my grandmother those 2 years. My grandmother passed away October 15, 2005 at almost 98 years of age.


From the Summer of 2007 through March of 2008, my mother was in/out of the hospital with various staph infections and other illnesses. In April of 2008, she became very sick from an infection that spread from her bladder or kidneys into her blood stream. She was in the hospital about 4 days that time. Once I saw she was back on her feet, I went back home about 3 days after she was released. ( I lived about 85 miles from her.)

6 days later, she went out to get the mail and fell and broke her hip. 5 days after that, she had a full hip replacement. 4 days after that she went to a physical therapy center where she remained another 3 weeks. For the next 4 months, she mostly stayed in her wheelchair or the seat of her walker. Then all of a sudden, she quit using them all together.

One thing I can't complain about is that the next year went by rather peacefully. She was doing rather well. At least things happened quickly and I don't feel that she suffered.

When I was younger, we were not real close. I was Daddy's girl. But, I lost him June 30, 1981 and that was the begenning of the change in our relationship. I was still many years later before we came to terms and became very close. But, we did. It's so hard not to try to call her every day. I miss her terribly!