3 THINGS FOR WEDNESDAY
Okay, for me, it's one thing - my biggest supporter, roaming ATM, the best Mom and Grandma in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD - MY Mom!!!
Today is Mom's 65th bday. It's especially poignant to me because generally, for big bdays, we do surprise parties, etc. However, on Mom's 60th bday, we were trying to help her recover from surgery to remove half of a cancerous left lung. In November 2003, Mom was diagnosed with a small cancerous spot deep within her left lung. A cutting biopsy was not possible - it was too deep and they weren't sure HOW big it actually was, so the only viable option was to remove 1/2 of the left lung. November - December 2003 was FULL of tests, doctors, MORE tests and oceans of tears. The tears were mainly on my part - Mom DID cry, but I think she cried more because I was so freaked out. Through all she endured during that horrendous month, she was convinced that she did NOT have cancer, even though tests and specialists definitively confirmed that it was cancer, although caught very early. She went in for surgery on December 9, was supposed to be in there for about 7 days, ended up staying for THREE WEEKS, came home at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve with chest tubes, oxygen, etc. Two days after the surgery, pathology revealed NO CANCER. We were, by turns, relieved, horrified, grateful, angered, you name it, we felt it. For the next 4 months, we focused on getting her healed. Thank God I had leave - I ended up taking 10 weeks of leave and just focusing all of my energies on her. Today, her remaining 1/2 lung and other full lung actually function better than they did prior to the surgery - the pulmonologist said that's typical, that the remaining lungs compensate for what's missing.
Growing up, I never had what I felt was a "cool" Mom, and we butted heads, as is typical of teenage daughters and mothers. I had a curfew, was accountable for where I was going and with whom I associated, couldn't drive until they felt like I could handle it, didn't have loads of disposable money, had to work, had to do chores around the house, etc. At the time, I remember liking it at my friends' houses better - their parents bought us alcohol, let us have boys over and basically, let us run free!!!! Now, of course, in retrospect, I realize she absolutely was the BEST kind of mother - not necessarily my friend, but a loving authority figure. To this day, I'm not sure I agree with mothers who want to be their daughters' peers, but that's just my personal opinion.
As many of you know, Mom doesn't drive. She did, but while pregnant with me, was in a bad car accident involving a dump truck, sustained back injuries and from then on, just didn't drive. I never thought it was strange as a child growing up with a Mom who didn't drive - we went places and did things anyway. Some of my first memories involve her taking me to the old North Point Movies (where the Dundalk Walmart now is), to see EVERY Disney movie as it originally came out. She made everything an adventure, be it going to the doctors, playing grocery store with canned goods and empty boxes, making bunny rabbits out of cotton balls, allowing me to "cook," God what a mess that always turned out to be!!! She instilled in my brother and me a HUGE love of family and traditions. The traditions that we have now and that we are passing along to Kaity and Brian are the traditions that are important to us, because it's what we've always known. From going Christmas shopping on the Avenue in Highlandtown, to Coney Island hot dogs at G&A, to specific holiday meals, Mom has made sure that we ALWAYS knew FAMILY was #1, and without that, you had nothing.
My Dad was often laid off, particularly during the holidays it seemed, and we NEVER suffered. Never. Oh, we may have, but my brother and I weren't aware of it. We had everything we needed, and in fact, most things we wanted. We never lacked food, clothing - the essentials, but we also were cloaked in love, and you didn't (and still don't) leave the house without hearing, "Be careful!" even if you were walking up the street.
I've watched my mother grieve over the loss of HER mother (another strong, wonderful, loving woman), her father and her sister. In addition to her own health issues, she's held the hands of her own sister, who has battled breast cancer, and comforted her oldest sister when she lost a grown son. When we find out someone has died, the first thing Mom does is bake a cake to take to the family. I'm sure that's where I get the need to nurture the people I care about through food.
Since she doesn't drive, I've also watched her take public transportation everywhere, including to work in Owings Mills from Essex - a two hour commute involving buses, light rail, subway and walking - in ALL kinds of weather. She had a work ethic like no one I knew, and as far as I can recall, NEVER took a day off just for the heck of it!! She always said that taking public transportation didn't bother her, but I hated it FOR her, and did what I could to take her everywhere she needed or wanted to go.
When I made my decision to have wls, Mom's only words were, "I know you can do this." She stayed with me in the hospital that night, but snored so loudly and slept so deeply that she was of NO help to me!!!! She waited on me hand and foot when I got home, and walked INCESSANTLY with me as I recovered. I truly could not have done this without her. She has NEVER, even when I've fallen off the wls wagon, rebuked or ridiculed me. She has ALWAYS told me that I was beautiful and although there were times that I thought she said it because she HAD to, I know now that she meant inside as well as outside. If I AM beautiful, good or kind, I owe it all to her. She has made me the kind of woman that I am, the kind of woman who can essentially raise another's children and know that THEY will come out to be strong, caring individuals with a strong sense of family and pride.
She also takes better care of Happy (and all of the dogs that we've had), than most people take care of their own children. She's grieved as we've ended our dogs' suffering and rejoiced at the licks of new puppies. You know YOU'RE in good hands when you come home from work on a cold day to find your DOG wrapped in a blanket with Mom holding a heating pad to help her warm up!!
She makes all of my friends, and their children, feel welcome in our home, and when we're out shopping, often finds little things that the children would like, saying, "Would Cira's kids play with this?" or "I bet Kylie would LOVE this!"
In case you're thinking that Mom's a saint, she'll be the first to tell you she's not. If I had to list any faults that she has (and we should all be so lucky to ONLY have these kinds), it's that she's completely unorganized, a total pack-rat and sometimes infuriates me to the point that I want to bang my head on the wall. She's obstinate and bull-headed at times, too, and if you think *I'M* talky, SHE is the ultimate Chatty Cathy. Seriously, as soon as her feet hit the floor, she's "ON." I'm SO NOT a morning person, and this often led to morning battles.
But I'll take her, faults and all, because that's how she takes me. I know that my brother and I, and Kaity and Brian, are the center of her universe. And hopefully, now, she'll know that she's the center of mine.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!
Tia
Today is Mom's 65th bday. It's especially poignant to me because generally, for big bdays, we do surprise parties, etc. However, on Mom's 60th bday, we were trying to help her recover from surgery to remove half of a cancerous left lung. In November 2003, Mom was diagnosed with a small cancerous spot deep within her left lung. A cutting biopsy was not possible - it was too deep and they weren't sure HOW big it actually was, so the only viable option was to remove 1/2 of the left lung. November - December 2003 was FULL of tests, doctors, MORE tests and oceans of tears. The tears were mainly on my part - Mom DID cry, but I think she cried more because I was so freaked out. Through all she endured during that horrendous month, she was convinced that she did NOT have cancer, even though tests and specialists definitively confirmed that it was cancer, although caught very early. She went in for surgery on December 9, was supposed to be in there for about 7 days, ended up staying for THREE WEEKS, came home at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve with chest tubes, oxygen, etc. Two days after the surgery, pathology revealed NO CANCER. We were, by turns, relieved, horrified, grateful, angered, you name it, we felt it. For the next 4 months, we focused on getting her healed. Thank God I had leave - I ended up taking 10 weeks of leave and just focusing all of my energies on her. Today, her remaining 1/2 lung and other full lung actually function better than they did prior to the surgery - the pulmonologist said that's typical, that the remaining lungs compensate for what's missing.
Growing up, I never had what I felt was a "cool" Mom, and we butted heads, as is typical of teenage daughters and mothers. I had a curfew, was accountable for where I was going and with whom I associated, couldn't drive until they felt like I could handle it, didn't have loads of disposable money, had to work, had to do chores around the house, etc. At the time, I remember liking it at my friends' houses better - their parents bought us alcohol, let us have boys over and basically, let us run free!!!! Now, of course, in retrospect, I realize she absolutely was the BEST kind of mother - not necessarily my friend, but a loving authority figure. To this day, I'm not sure I agree with mothers who want to be their daughters' peers, but that's just my personal opinion.
As many of you know, Mom doesn't drive. She did, but while pregnant with me, was in a bad car accident involving a dump truck, sustained back injuries and from then on, just didn't drive. I never thought it was strange as a child growing up with a Mom who didn't drive - we went places and did things anyway. Some of my first memories involve her taking me to the old North Point Movies (where the Dundalk Walmart now is), to see EVERY Disney movie as it originally came out. She made everything an adventure, be it going to the doctors, playing grocery store with canned goods and empty boxes, making bunny rabbits out of cotton balls, allowing me to "cook," God what a mess that always turned out to be!!! She instilled in my brother and me a HUGE love of family and traditions. The traditions that we have now and that we are passing along to Kaity and Brian are the traditions that are important to us, because it's what we've always known. From going Christmas shopping on the Avenue in Highlandtown, to Coney Island hot dogs at G&A, to specific holiday meals, Mom has made sure that we ALWAYS knew FAMILY was #1, and without that, you had nothing.
My Dad was often laid off, particularly during the holidays it seemed, and we NEVER suffered. Never. Oh, we may have, but my brother and I weren't aware of it. We had everything we needed, and in fact, most things we wanted. We never lacked food, clothing - the essentials, but we also were cloaked in love, and you didn't (and still don't) leave the house without hearing, "Be careful!" even if you were walking up the street.
I've watched my mother grieve over the loss of HER mother (another strong, wonderful, loving woman), her father and her sister. In addition to her own health issues, she's held the hands of her own sister, who has battled breast cancer, and comforted her oldest sister when she lost a grown son. When we find out someone has died, the first thing Mom does is bake a cake to take to the family. I'm sure that's where I get the need to nurture the people I care about through food.
Since she doesn't drive, I've also watched her take public transportation everywhere, including to work in Owings Mills from Essex - a two hour commute involving buses, light rail, subway and walking - in ALL kinds of weather. She had a work ethic like no one I knew, and as far as I can recall, NEVER took a day off just for the heck of it!! She always said that taking public transportation didn't bother her, but I hated it FOR her, and did what I could to take her everywhere she needed or wanted to go.
When I made my decision to have wls, Mom's only words were, "I know you can do this." She stayed with me in the hospital that night, but snored so loudly and slept so deeply that she was of NO help to me!!!! She waited on me hand and foot when I got home, and walked INCESSANTLY with me as I recovered. I truly could not have done this without her. She has NEVER, even when I've fallen off the wls wagon, rebuked or ridiculed me. She has ALWAYS told me that I was beautiful and although there were times that I thought she said it because she HAD to, I know now that she meant inside as well as outside. If I AM beautiful, good or kind, I owe it all to her. She has made me the kind of woman that I am, the kind of woman who can essentially raise another's children and know that THEY will come out to be strong, caring individuals with a strong sense of family and pride.
She also takes better care of Happy (and all of the dogs that we've had), than most people take care of their own children. She's grieved as we've ended our dogs' suffering and rejoiced at the licks of new puppies. You know YOU'RE in good hands when you come home from work on a cold day to find your DOG wrapped in a blanket with Mom holding a heating pad to help her warm up!!
She makes all of my friends, and their children, feel welcome in our home, and when we're out shopping, often finds little things that the children would like, saying, "Would Cira's kids play with this?" or "I bet Kylie would LOVE this!"
In case you're thinking that Mom's a saint, she'll be the first to tell you she's not. If I had to list any faults that she has (and we should all be so lucky to ONLY have these kinds), it's that she's completely unorganized, a total pack-rat and sometimes infuriates me to the point that I want to bang my head on the wall. She's obstinate and bull-headed at times, too, and if you think *I'M* talky, SHE is the ultimate Chatty Cathy. Seriously, as soon as her feet hit the floor, she's "ON." I'm SO NOT a morning person, and this often led to morning battles.
But I'll take her, faults and all, because that's how she takes me. I know that my brother and I, and Kaity and Brian, are the center of her universe. And hopefully, now, she'll know that she's the center of mine.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!
Tia
Ohhhhh Tia you have brought tears to my eyes. She is so like "my Mom".
You are SO BLESSED to have her. Thank you for sharing her with me.
Happy Birthday lovely lady. I love you with all my heart.
Today I am grateful for:
1. A wonderful second Mom
2. Tia sharing her with me
3. For the unconditional love and support that I have received from two very special ladies in my life. Tia and Mom! Thank you.
Have a greart day.
Hugs,
You are SO BLESSED to have her. Thank you for sharing her with me.
Happy Birthday lovely lady. I love you with all my heart.
Today I am grateful for:
1. A wonderful second Mom
2. Tia sharing her with me
3. For the unconditional love and support that I have received from two very special ladies in my life. Tia and Mom! Thank you.
Have a greart day.
Hugs,
I am who I am and accept my feelings wholeheartedly.
Those that mind don't matter, and those that matter don't mind.
Cira 249/144.0 current/goal 154/ 5'3" 10 lbs below my Dr's goal
Good Morning Tia:
Make sure you print your Mom a copy of this while you are printing Ciras post.
I know it will bring tears to her eyes: it did to mine LOL
Like you I had a health scare with mom 5 years ago : they removed half of her
colon - Cancer. She took 3 chemo treatments - ended up in the hospital dehydrated.
Her Dr told her to call him the week after he released her to set up a new plan for
continued chemo : She told him NO MORE ! - he told her he could give her at least 3 more
years - and she told him so you want me to be sick for the next year too give me 3 years.
She then told him she was 77 and anything could kill her at any time and she did not
intend to live the next year of her life sick all the time. 5 years later she is cancer free -
slowing down but who wouldn't slow down at 82?
That being said here are mine for today:
1. For my parents : Like you said Tia I NEVER leave the house without the words
"Drive careful" coming out of one of their mouths and the " I love you" from the other ones
mouth.
2. Its hump day so that mean BOWLING LEAGUE.
3. For all of my OH friends!!! See my Don't sweat post today!!
Make sure you print your Mom a copy of this while you are printing Ciras post.
I know it will bring tears to her eyes: it did to mine LOL
Like you I had a health scare with mom 5 years ago : they removed half of her
colon - Cancer. She took 3 chemo treatments - ended up in the hospital dehydrated.
Her Dr told her to call him the week after he released her to set up a new plan for
continued chemo : She told him NO MORE ! - he told her he could give her at least 3 more
years - and she told him so you want me to be sick for the next year too give me 3 years.
She then told him she was 77 and anything could kill her at any time and she did not
intend to live the next year of her life sick all the time. 5 years later she is cancer free -
slowing down but who wouldn't slow down at 82?
That being said here are mine for today:
1. For my parents : Like you said Tia I NEVER leave the house without the words
"Drive careful" coming out of one of their mouths and the " I love you" from the other ones
mouth.
2. Its hump day so that mean BOWLING LEAGUE.
3. For all of my OH friends!!! See my Don't sweat post today!!
Thanks, love!!!
I know you and I share the biggest fear of losing our parents. Of course, it WILL happen, but all the same, I feel like I can handle anything but that.
So yes, even when your Dad's calling you saying, "Where ARE you?" forgetting that you're OVER 21, you have to love the love!!!
Hugs,
T
Good morning, Tia!! I hope your Mom has a wonderful birthday! You are truly blessed!
Today, I am grateful...
1. That my sons father and I are getting past a few of our differences, and that he is finally seeing things the right way which happens to be MY WAY lol!!!
2. For my car! It's so nice to be able to get in it and go when ever I want to where ever I want!!
3. That I def have job security, but I am really ready for tax season to be over!!
Hope everyone has a great day!!
Hugs,
Becki
Today, I am grateful...
1. That my sons father and I are getting past a few of our differences, and that he is finally seeing things the right way which happens to be MY WAY lol!!!
2. For my car! It's so nice to be able to get in it and go when ever I want to where ever I want!!
3. That I def have job security, but I am really ready for tax season to be over!!
Hope everyone has a great day!!
Hugs,
Becki
Hi sweets!!!
Was gonna send out a BOLO for you today!!! Good thing you showed up!!! LOL!!!
Yes, I AM very blessed - I'm glad I figured it out before it was too late!!!
Your #1 cracks me up!!! It's a smart man that listens to an even smarter woman!!
Now that you've got that car, I expect to see you more often!!!!
After tax season, of course!!!
LY,
T
Was gonna send out a BOLO for you today!!! Good thing you showed up!!! LOL!!!
Yes, I AM very blessed - I'm glad I figured it out before it was too late!!!
Your #1 cracks me up!!! It's a smart man that listens to an even smarter woman!!
Now that you've got that car, I expect to see you more often!!!!
After tax season, of course!!!
LY,
T
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