In Memorium

My mother quietly passed away yesterday, June 22, at about 7:45pm.  She had been in a period of rapid decline since her liver started failing in late May.  We visited with her then and on the day we left to come back to Ohio, she did seem to know me, and she told us that she loved us.  There was a time, well over a year ago, when she seemed to be coming back to us somewhat, having fully recovered from her head injury, if not the effects of senile dementia, but another stroke ended that rally.  Still, she would recognize me, even if she would not remember that I had been to see her just the day before.  This visit had been different, as she was very sick.  We left NC very much not knowing if we would see her again in this world.  She responded briefly to medication, had a few good days, I am told, but not many.  The last two weeks have been very rough on my father as she became increasingly unresponsive, unable to eat, etc.  My brother has been taking care of things and keeping me informed.  I have had extensive teaching and administrative responsibilities over the last three weeks, not to mention being on call for potential jury duty (already once deferred, as they wanted me to serve during the last couple of weeks of spring semester!), so I could not easily break away.  I had made plans to go back to NC on Friday, knowing that she might not linger that long.  Now The Bug and I will be traveling together to visit with family and friends, mourn my mother, Frances, and celebrate her life and legacy.  I never actually said goodbye to my mother...I do not believe in goodbyes.  I always told her that I would see her later.  She was always a daddy's girl, and now she has gone to see her father.  In time, I will go to see her...I've always been a momma's boy...but not yet...not yet.