Everybody has ONE... at least one parent that is. Some of us are lucky enough to start out with two parents. Then by a twist of fate, luck, or age, we have only one parent who is considered elderly, aged, or frail.
We are the caregiver who lives in the house or nearby. We are the ones who are first called upon, before strangers or siblings. We are the driver, the shopper, the housekeeper, the appointment planner. We are the ones who surrender our time to time, to fulfill a role that no community is prepared to completely, with dignity, oversight and positive outcomes in the societal ladder's wrungs of living a long life.
We are the house daughters and sons. We have part of life, and a responsibility to a part of another’s life that is reverting back in abilities while adapting to the limits of their body or their minds. Alternatively, some combination there of.
Mother’s give birth; the child leaves, makes a life of their own, and now returns. This is the house daughter or son who returns to the parent.
The purpose of these writing began when several old best friends chatted about each of their parent’s insanities, infirmities, and inabilities to cope. We decided to survive the experience together laughing. This is how best friends and their mothers adapt to living, aging and care giving. Show downs, shoot-outs, surrender and lessons to others on how to "shake their heads in disbelief and not show it" lessons. All the things nobody ever told us about surviving the as the house daughter or son.
Several are newbie’s to care giving and caretaking of a parent. I've been at it for over sixteen years and am considered, "the experienced care giver". My old friends and I are going to be living in the same city after nearly twenty-five years apart. This is going to be humorous ride as we attempt to enjoy the insanities of becoming our parent’s parent as the house daughter or son.
