When I was a kid, I probably used the phrase "That's not fair!" more than anyone I know. And my parents would always fire back with, "Well, life isn't fair!" Lately, I've caught myself saying it more and more frequently. I've been kind of throwing myself one huge pity party for about the past year or so, and I started saying to myself, "It's not fair my mom has this disease. It's not fair I don't get to have a mom anymore. It's not fair Audrey doesn't have Grandparents. It's not fair that I have to do all of the laundry and clean my house. It's not fair that I have to go to work when it's sunny and 75 degrees. It's not fair that I have to get out of bed and take a shower." But that's the crazy reality you create for yourself when you've decided to stop living your life and succumb to the stress and devastation of this disease. I've never been the most optimistic individual, and I've been going through the motions of everyday life without actually living it. Get up. Shower. Go to work. Call mom. Come home. Call mom. Drink wine. Go to bed. Repeat.
Because I live an hour away from my parents, I'm unable to provide very much support for my dad and other family members who are currently caring for my mom, and I feel guilty. Sure I call my mom regularly, but the conversations are usually very short (if she even answers the phone) because she is unable to follow the rhythm of a conversation and her ability to communicate her own thoughts is diminishing. It's hard to watch this happen to someone you love, and sometimes I just have to walk away. Sometimes I have to ignore the phone calls because if I don't talk to her, I can remember her the way she used to be. Running away from uncomfortable situations makes them go away right? WRONG! But that is the approach I've been taking. Just don't deal with it. "I'm sorry, I'm too busy to come and visit." I've tried to stay strong, but lately I've felt a deep sense of loss and profound sadness. The grief is devastating, and unlike normal grieving, this grief process goes on for years and even decades. The loss is sometimes slow and steady, or fast and furious, but one thing remains the same, each day is unpredictable.
I'll try to be more diligent about posting more frequently. I think it will really help me cope. Sometimes I just need a little kick in the butt; thank you to all of my supporters out there!