AnchorWoman

In the spring of 2004 I began a blog about my role as an anchor for my parents.  I didn't know I would soon be writing about my mother's illness and death, and my father's process through grief and widowhood.  When I chose the blog title it didn't occur to me that people would only find it when they wanted info about a tv news anchorwoman's hairdo.

I was an anchor before the blog.  I've been an anchor all the time, although I rarely post as AnchorWoman.  I'm still the anchor, and I get worn down.  Dad is still anchored, but he's ready to cut loose. 

Mom's illness and death were during the Woolly Mammoth's senior year of high school.  I was looking forward to a time of relaxing, creativity, leisure travel, and maybe blossoming in my empty nest.

I would not change much about the past seven years.  Well, yes, there's much I would do differently if I'd known... If I'd seen the questions ahead of time, I might have crammed for the test.

Spent five hours at Dad's skilled care facility today, doing paperwork for his admission into hospice care and meeting his hospice RN.  I already love this woman of great good sense, compassion, professionalism, and wisdom in purple scrubs. 

To Dad, she is just another person who wants to trap him into answering incorrectly about his birthdate, education, occupation, and family.  He is still pouting about having lost the memory of his Social Security number.  I hope he will come around soon to sense that she is on his side.

It was lovely walking down by the creek about four p.m.  The sun was low to the west bank, backlighting trees and flowers on the east.  The blossoms smelled lovely.

I'm so grateful to have hospice added to the team for Dad and for me.  Thanks to all the family and friends and readers who send their support and good vibes!


© 2011 Nancy L. Ruder