Did My Mom's Heart Attack Change Our Plans?

[rhody]

Thanks Greg, I appreciate your kind thoughts.

On the subject of timing, it was really odd but my Uncle Ernie was buried on August 7th around noon, and my Mom has her heart attack July 7th around the same time one month before almost to the hour.

Lastly, before he went to bed the night he had the heart attack, he left his laptop up with every account open that had a password. His children found it that was the next day, and he called me on Sunday the day before to make sure I was OK, lastly he said about three weeks before that he wanted to pass on exactly the way things did, suddenly, and without being a burden on his family and on all kinds of machines. He had four days of dialysis before his attack, and I am sure that didn't help.

I will miss him, great sense of humor and a really nice man.

Rhody...

 

[fuzzyfelt]

I'm so sorry to hear of your further loss, rhody. My condolences to you and your family.

 

[rhody]

Postscript,

Every fall sometime late September, early October, I take a ride on my motorcycle, 400+ miles round trip to see my parent's graves, and pay my respects and to have a little chat, say a prayer or too, you get the idea. On this trip, for some strange reason I went on a row one level higher than where they were. I did this twice, and was a bit upset at myself for not picking out their stone, it is small, but next to another relative whose is very large and stands out.

Too make a long story short. I got off the bike and meandered down the hill to where I knew my Dad and now Mom are buried next to one another. I was about 1/4 of the way down and out of the corner of my eye I noticed a familiar name. My dad's best friend's last name, I go around front and there he is. He passed almost 30 years before my Dad did, but they were close. Anyway I made my way down the hill and found their site and went about my business.

I found it odd to say the least. I can not say for sure, but maybe his friend wanted to be recognized through my visit for some strange reason or other.
I have no explanation for why it happened the way it did, and wasn't creeped out
or frightened by it.

Anyway that's my story and I am sticking to it. BTW, the foliage was not in full rut yet but will be in a few weeks. The rest of the trip was uneventful, but long, got stuck in traffic on the superslab, and sprinkled on for good measure to add to my fatigue.

Rhody...

P.S. I won't fill you guys in on the fast pace up the side of a mountain, but it was fun, traffic and weather permitting. Every year I manage it just a bit quicker than the year before, all things being equal, traffic, leaves, weather, etc...

 

[jowjowman]

My condolences, Rhody

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Sorry to hear, Rhody.

It is very strange and sad to lose those with whom we've been the closest.

 

[rhody]

Postscript,

Every fall sometime late September, early October, I take a ride on my motorcycle, 400+ miles round trip to see my parent's graves, and pay my respects and to have a little chat, say a prayer or too, you get the idea. On this trip, for some strange reason I went on a row one level higher than where they were. I did this twice, and was a bit upset at myself for not picking out their stone, it is small, but next to another relative whose is very large and stands out.

Too make a long story short. I got off the bike and meandered down the hill to where I knew my Dad and now Mom are buried next to one another. I was about 1/4 of the way down and out of the corner of my eye I noticed a familiar name. My dad's best friend's last name, I go around front and there he is. He passed almost 30 years before my Dad did, but they were close. Anyway I made my way down the hill and found their site and went about my business.

I found it odd to say the least. I can not say for sure, but maybe his friend wanted to be recognized through my visit for some strange reason or other.
I have no explanation for why it happened the way it did, and wasn't creeped out
or frightened by it.

Anyway that's my story and I am sticking to it. BTW, the foliage was not in full rut yet but will be in a few weeks. The rest of the trip was uneventful, but long, got stuck in traffic on the superslab, and sprinkled on for good measure to add to my fatigue.

Rhody...

P.S. I won't fill you guys in on the fast pace up the side of a mountain, but it was fun, traffic and weather permitting. Every year I manage it just a bit quicker than the year before, all things being equal, traffic, leaves, weather, etc...

It is hard to believe that it has been a year since my Mom passed and twenty eight days later her twin brother. I sent her best friend and Mom's realtor an e-mail with a link to the https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=3328764&postcount=227" in the runway thread, they sent me back kind words and memories of Mom. Today is going to be an emotional day, needless to say. I am going to drive out to their graves and pay my respects. It is a beautiful ride too, so that is a plus.

I miss you Mom...

Rhody...

 

[lisab]

It is hard to believe that it has been a year since my Mom passed and twenty eight days later her twin brother. I sent her best friend and Mom's realtor an e-mail with a link to the https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=3328764&postcount=227" in the runway thread, they sent me back kind words and memories of Mom. Today is going to be an emotional day, needless to say. I am going to drive out to their graves and pay my respects. It is a beautiful ride too, so that is a plus.

I miss you Mom...

Rhody...

So sorry, Rhody! I'll be thinking of you...

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

If you recall, my mother died at about the same time as yours. We had an unveiling at the anniversary. There was nothing traditional about it, I just went early to the gravesite and covered the headstone with a cloth. When everyone had gathered I uncovered it and said a few words to remind us of what she meant to us. Because of the gap between the funeral and the placing of the stone, many family members had never seen it before. Afterwards we went to a deli and had lunch together. With mom gone we don't have as many reasons to get together as we used to. Also, it gave us a chance to clean up the weeds and plant some flowers. If you haven't already done so, I recommend it.

 

[rhody]

If you recall, my mother died at about the same time as yours. We had an unveiling at the anniversary. There was nothing traditional about it, I just went early to the gravesite and covered the headstone with a cloth. When everyone had gathered I uncovered it and said a few words to remind us of what she meant to us. Because of the gap between the funeral and the placing of the stone, many family members had never seen it before. Afterwards we went to a deli and had lunch together. With mom gone we don't have as many reasons to get together as we used to. Also, it gave us a chance to clean up the weeds and plant some flowers. If you haven't already done so, I recommend it.

Jimmy,

I am sorry that you lost your Mom so close to mine. Nice that you had a moment to gather with family to unveil your Mom's headstone for the first time. Our family is not large and there are no immediate family members close by so it will just be me. I tidy up the area around their stone, leave a momento or two, then sit and reflect for awhile.

Rhody...

 

[Ryan_m_b]

I'm truly sorry for your loss, my deepest condolences to you and your family.

 

[ViewsofMars]

Our family is not large and there are no immediate family members close by so it will just be me. I tidy up the area around their stone, leave a momento or two, then sit and reflect for awhile.

Rhody...

Hope you are doing ok. I lost my father when I was 5 years old and my mother shortly after I turned 28. I had two half siblings that were 30 years older than me that have both both have passed on. I've become fond of gravesites, especially my mothers since it is close to me, enjoying putting fresh flowers on it that were picked from my garden. I always treasured the two things that my mom used to do that I too like to do. Garden and hang clothes on the line. Everytime I do it I think fondly of her. It makes me feel good.

 

[rhody]

Hope you are doing ok. I lost my father when I was 5 years old and my mother shortly after I turned 28. I had two half siblings that were 30 years older than me that have both both have passed on. I've become fond of gravesites, especially my mothers since it is close to me, enjoying putting fresh flowers on it that were picked from my garden. I always treasured the two things that my mom used to do that I too like to do. Garden and hang clothes on the line. Everytime I do it I think fondly of her. It makes me feel good.

VoM,

I am glad gardening and hanging clothes bring back fond memories, that way a little bit of your Mom is always with you.

Rhody...

 

[ViewsofMars]

Without love there is no joy. Thanks for your kind thoughts Rhody.

Later today, I have to personally thank Andy.

 

[turbo]

Without love there is no joy. Thanks for your kind thoughts Rhody.

Later today, I have to personally thank Andy.

I think of my mother whenever I am doing the things that we used to do together, like picking wild berries, picking and cleaning fiddleheads (ostrich ferns) for freezing, tending the vegetable garden, canning or freezing food for the winter, making pickles, etc. I am so happy to have learned the value of such work at a young age, though I have no children to pass them on to. Someone should start a school teaching such basic skills, because I fear that they are disappearing.