Archives for December 2013

“Bye Truman”

My Aunt Willena died the day after Thanksgiving.  The last of the five.  My Mother’s only sister.  She spent a little over a week at a local hospice house.  I went to visit her for a final goodbye the morning after she moved.  I didn’t do such a great job of it.  Danced around the subject.  Maybe because she was a bit confused.  Maybe not.  She asked if Marie (that’s my Mom) was coming to visit.  I reminded her that Marie was in heaven.  I opened my mouth to tell her that Marie would be waiting for her but the words did not come out.  This from a hospice social worker!!

Our pets help us be so much more direct.  Debbie told me that on the day her Mom went to the hospice house that their old dog Truman came trotting up to the stretcher.  Truman nosed his way in.  Aunt Willena had barely been responsive for a few days. But when Truman appeared, she reached out to pat his head and said, “Bye Truman.”

Too bad we can’t help each other this way.

Bye Aunt Willena.