Little did I know that that would be the last time I’d see Mom before the COVID lockdown. My daughter and I were visiting my mom in her assisted living home on a trip to Seattle in March two years ago today. Mom and I share March birthdays and I try to make it a point to be with her. But last year in March they had COVID breakouts in a facility a few miles from her and then it spread to her assisted living home.
The good news is she never got it. She’s healthy and got both her shots. But I miss her. I’m hoping someday this year I’ll get to spend time with her in person.
Here’s what I wrote about my trip to visit mom in March 2019:
I will never forget the look in my mom’s eyes when I said goodbye. After lunch at our favorite sushi restaurant, we sat around a table in the lobby playing a card game our family played when I was a child, Demon.
It was fun and we all laughed as we got more and more competitive. They teamed up against me, as they tried to defeat me–but didn’t of course. My daughter slowed down her speed to make the game more fun for us old folks, because seriously she could beat us handily at anything involving speed and reaction time.
After that, we walked mom back to her room, got her settled in and said good-bye. My mom stared at me, sitting in her comfy chair, like her heart was breaking. Her big hazel eyes filled with water and I fought my own tears. I felt like I was deserting her.
My daughter asked if she wanted the TV on, and she said, “No, I’m fine.” As we closed the door, I peaked in and saw my mom sitting on her chair with her head dropped, staring at nothing.
The good news is I came the next day, and the next. Each day she looked happier and her spark returned. She has a witty sense of humor and kept me laughing. By the time I said my final good-bye, she looked so much better. I think she’s terribly lonely and I need to visit more often.
And to think I was going to visit her more often — and then no visits at all….
If you live away from your elderly family members, how do you feel when you say good-bye?
It’s tough with parents…because anything can happen any day…
I can’t wait to get vaccinated and be able to visit….I won’t be putting it off until next March.
I can only imagine how difficult this is.We live two and a half hours from my mom who is 92 and we stay as pristine as possible to go and be with her or even to remain with her. It is still a scary thing being with a health-fragile person. As my daughter says, “I don’t want to kill my grandmother.” I hope and pray you can see each other soon. Or perhaps in the meantime, there could be a FaceTime type meeting provided for her to see you. Best wishes.
Thank you! My mom is turning 89 this month. I’ll visit after I get vaccinated. She’s in WA and I’m in AZ. I don’t want to fly until I get the shots.
I sure do get that. Hopefully you can get it soon.