My first post from September, 2008:

Introspection on Aging!

I just spent a few hours with my mother. It's depressing to watch the elderly we so respect and cherish suffer. I assume she's going through Erickson's "Integrity vs Despair" stage in her life. She's struggling with losing her independence. She's weathered being a widow for 10 years, strokes, broken legs, and now another mini-stroke. She's lost her driving privileges to macular degeneration. She can barely eat anything. She has nothing to look forward to. I sat there and listened to her say "I want to leave this world." How do I answer that? What response could I possibly give her that would be encouraging? I get angry at the fact that elder care is so wrapped up in bureacratic red tape. Too much income for services, not enough disability for others. It bothers her tremendously that she has to depend on me. I'm the only dependent living in the same town. It bothers her to ask me to do chores for her. How do we make our parents understand that this wheel of life rolls around and as children, we do not mind doing chores and taking care of them. As busy and hectic as our lives are, I'd be a schmuck if I simply didn't find the time for her in my hectic life. If I were Bill Gates, I'd build the elderly assisted living establishments that were plated in 24K gold. They deserve it for raising us!
25 September, 2008 Public