Sharing wisdom that comes from parenting our parents
When working with Dad during his declining years, I remember those oh-so-valuable conversation where we said the things we wanted to say. Conversations that eventually would become no longer possible. Talks of financial and burial arrangements that were thinly disguised versions of “I love you”. Bittersweet today but were just “significant” talks back then. Those …
Funny the connections we develop as caregivers. The funny weird part is we may not discover these changes until long after events have passed. At least I didn’t.
“Doesn’t diabetes affect the kidneys, Doctor?”, I asked when taking Dad to one of his numerous medical appointments. The Internist stopped and finally looked up from the chart he had been writing in for the last 10 minutes. “Well, yes” he slowly replied, recognition of an idea starting to appear in his eyes. “Yes, it can!” With a renewed enthusiasm, the doctor began reviewing the papers in the folder and he began to hurriedly scribble notes. A decision had been made.
As fears go, being afraid of dying is probably one of the most common. I openly confess that I have no real enthusiasm for firsthand experience of the process but I am learning to cultivate a familiarity that does comfort me.
Dad's Back 