Hi, everyone. Just wanted to share this for those few on the Gangster BB who have had limited knowledge of my 'family' situation. It's been a crazy couple of months, I lost my job in mid-March but have since gotten a new one. In between during my 'free' time I would spend days with my mother, who was by then home from hospital/rehab and eventually placed on home hospice. After several weeks of doing fairly well and in generally good spirits, she suffered back-to-back infections, the second from which she was just too weak to recover.

My mother passed away last Sunday, 5/29/2011. My sister & I were actually there at the end, and let me tell you, watching your mother die is something I would not wish upon my worst enemy. Though sad of course, my family and I were comforted that she is at peace, and free at last from illness, old age, immobility and discomfort. In fact the night before I saw that she would probably not recover this time, and told her it was ok to 'let go'. The wake was almost a relief, if only for the simple fact that she looked so beautiful and rested especailly after watching her rapidly deteriorate during the last few days.

Things are ok, and I am currently getting used to not having to dread hearing the phone ring.

On the other hand, my aunt who is my mother's older sister is also very ill after a lifetime of relative independence. Whenever I talk to or receive a text from my cousin the news is far from good...and although the worst is over for us I am gearing up to eventually get a call about that situation. The two sisters were very close and she has not been told of my mother's passing, for fear it would completely put her over the edge and finally do her in. While I wish my aunt the best and do hope she recovers, she is 85 and now in addition to everything else has congestive heart failure, and it would be ironic indeed if they died within a relatively close timeframe.

So of all my cousins in either side of our family, my sister, brother & I are the very first to officially become orphans. Pretty interesting since except for one uncle, both my parents were the last of their siblings to marry & have children, and we wre actually the youngest of all but two of our cousins.

Odd the things one thinks about at a time like this. Thanks to all who managed to read through my ramblings. Streamofconsciousness for sure.

AppleOnYa