Pay backs

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! I know we did. I'm so thankful for my family even though at times I would like to not claim them as my own. My mom is retiring this year. Infact, tomorrow is her last day. 30 years at Drs./St. Vincent's Hospital. She has absolutely run herself into the ground working and her body forced her to halt this evening. She started getting a headache and claimed it was because she waited too late to eat and drank wine on an empty stomach. Very valid, so I figured she knew what she was talking about. She started to look extremely tired and holding her stomach. I kept asking her if she was okay. She eventually decided to lay down for about 30 minutes and when she got up she looked refreshed. Then it started over again and I started to question her about being dehydrated. After all, I am an expert in this department now! I gave her some Endurolytes and offered to go get her some Pedialyte (that stuff is magic). She took the Endurolytes and promptly offered them to the carpet in their bedroom. I told Terri, my sister who is a nurse, that she was dehydrated and needed some fluids. So she left to go to the hospital where she works and get a bag or two (or six). While she was gone, I laid down next to my mom in their bed and put my arms around her just like she used to when I was a kid and not feeling good. I stroked her hair and felt her warmth and the weakness of her tired body. It felt weird to have the tables turned. I liked it because I got to thank her a little for all the times she took care of me in that moment. I gave her a massage and she started to relax and even fell asleep for a few minutes. My sister returned with the fluids which was my cue to leave (no needle going under the skin watching for me). I realized just how important my family is to me tonight. Both of my parents have worked their fingers to the bone and never really enjoyed life at all. They got to raise three children and struggled to make ends meet. Somehow they always managed to do it. We had everything we ever needed. We understood that the 'wants' never matter. We turned out pretty good if I do say so myself and I attribute all the good things about myself to them. It just took 37 years to figure out that they really do know a thing or two about life. Who knows what the future holds? We may not be here tomorrow, but we have so many opportunities to let people know that we love and care about them. I don't want to let those precious moments slip away anymore. How about you?