I recently visited my mom in Syracuse. She had fallen and broken her neck at the facility where she was staying. She was there to begin with due to recent surgery on her leg. I had 5 days in a row to visit with her and spend time with her. My last day there she was in quite a bit of pain (my mom can take a lot of pain). She had a collar on her neck and was sitting in a straight back, upholstered chair. I kept telling her through the week she should sit in the bed with it reclined. She did NOT want to sit in that bed. Finally, I was able to get her comfortable by sitting in her bed. We angled the bed so she could watch TV. It took me 2 days to get my stubborn mom to accept the fact that lying in the bed, with it reclined, was much better for her. Her last words to me that day as I was leaving were “Thank you, I feel much better”. She even smiled. I reminded her I would be back in June for her 90th birthday celebration and off I went!
When I got home from Syracuse I got a Mother’s Day card for her. Finally mailed it out in a timely manner. She would actually receive it before Mother’s Day. However, when I was getting ready to mail the card I realized the verse would be too small for her to read. I thought the verse in the card was perfect for how I feel about her. I wanted her to be able to read it. I ended up typing the verse on a separate piece of paper in large font and inserted that in the card. Here it is:
‘Do you know what it means to be your daughter?
It means I always feel loved.
It means I have a true friend I can count on.
It means someone wise and wonderful believes in me and encourages my dreams.
It means I know how lucky I am because you are everything special a mom can be.’
This was definitely the perfect card. Every single one of those statements are true. I am a very lucky daughter.
Mom did not get to read my card. She passed away in her sleep Thursday morning.
One thing for sure , she was my mother, sister, and best friend all in one. I could tell her anything. Anything and everything. That one person in my life that never judged me – well, most of the time 😉 She definitely had her criticisms. I mean, she is my mom!
She used to say to me “Honey, I love you more than you will ever know.” Mom, I will miss you and will love you more than YOU will ever know. Always and Forever.
Happy Mother’s Day Mom.
Faux Chef for Five 
Loved it! Love and miss Mom! Thanks for posting beautiful prose.
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She will be missed.
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Dawn, so sorry to hear about your Mom. You are lucky to have such wonderful memories of the both of you together. Know that I am here if you need me. Love you MJ
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Thanks Mary Jane. There is no doubt about wonderful memories I have with mom!
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Oh, honey. I am so sorry to hear this. I hope that you are comforted by the fact that you had very recently spent quality time with her and that she slipped between the worlds iduring her sleep. She was an incredibly strong woman who lived for, and adored her family.
I hope you won’t find it inappropriate of me to say, but I was always just a tiny bit jealous of the special connection that you two shared. It gave me a glimpse of what an unconditional loving, supportive and nurturing mother looked like. She was so special and raised you accordingly. I cannot imagine losing that type of non-judgmental love and the hole that it must leave. I love you so much and am thinking of you constantly. Sending all Love and Light, my dear friend ♡
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