Having children was never part of my life plan. The thought of being responsible for one or more human beings was too much of a commitment for me. Playing with Barbie, hour after hour, she always had an exciting job, good looking Ken on her arm, and a cool car. What more could a girl want?
Circle of Life
Fast forward x-decades … no, the x won’t be quantified… responsibility has come my way thanks to the circle of life. I always say that we enter this world completely dependent and as we move toward leaving it, the dependency returns.
Compare ~ Contrast
My divorced parents are great examples for kids learning “compare and contrast” in English class. My Dad, 79, golfs and walks the 18-holes three-days per week, has no health issues to report and doesn’t take a pill of any kind. Sure, the TV is louder than most because his hearing is fading, and his hair is a bit thinner on top, but other than those signs of age, he’s in great shape. In contrast, my Mom, 80, has more aliments than any one person should have.
- Alzheimer-Like Memory Loss
- 5” height loss due to severe scoliosis brought on by post-Polio syndrome
- Weight loss leading to a clothing size reduction from size 12 to 6
- Walks with a walker (with her 10-year old Yorkie in the basket)
- Requires morphine several times per day to alleviate unbearable back pain
- Continues to enjoy a good laugh, particularly when watching M*A*S*H reruns
My brief summary of aliments isn’t provided to pull at your heartstrings, it’s simply to demonstrate the contrast that stands before me.
Why a Blog?
The aging population has resulted in role reversal, which has led to us parenting out parents. Over the years, there have been many incidents/situations that have generated great learnings; this blog is my way of sharing them in hopes they will help you.
Disclosure & Social Media Policy (a.k.a. “The Legal Stuff”)
The opinions stated on this blog are my own.
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Parenting Our Parents 