Nothing deep tonight, just a quick update.
My oldest brother Bobby, his wife Shirley and their two kids are in town to visit with mom. For the past week she has been in a mostly delirious stupor, but for the past two days she has been very alert. She’s been wanting to have a meeting with Community Hospice to discuss what kind of services they could provide, and she figured now was as good of a time as always.
We had our meeting with Joanne, and it looks like Community Hospice will be a very good, very helpful thing. To try and list all of the services they offer would take all night, and I’m just too tired for that. But I can say that I think mom is going to take them up on their offer of in home nurses, volunteers, free medication and counseling.
It was hard for me to hear the words “bereavement counseling” in combination with me, but it’s something I’m going to need. They offer bereavement counseling for the patients, and separate bereavement counseling for any children or grand children. They also have a weekend camp for kids under age 17 to go to, so they can socialize and be with someone else who has lost a loved one. How amazing is that? It’s just… phenomenal. And you know? It’s free.
Afterward, mom decided she wants to eat dinner at Shogun, a local Japanese hibachi grill place. Tonight was the third time I have eaten there.
1. The night before Josh and I got married, my brothers and their families, mom and dad Josh and I all went to dinner there, and had a great time drinking sake, eating good food and bullshitting.
2. When Bobby and his group came down to visit about three months ago, we all went out together and dad was even allowed out of the house by his whore to eat with us. Again, we all drank sake and a had a great time.
3. Tonight. Dad was not there as he was not allowed out, and each time mom’s health has gotten progressively worse.
I worry that in the future, I won’t be able to eat at this restaurant. But at the same time, it’s these memories I am creating with my family in this place that I’m going to cherish for the rest of my life.
I want to give you words of comfort and share my experiences with you in hopes of helping but everything I type sounds douchey. So, instead, I’ll just tell you that I am super glad that you have resources at hand to help you through all of this. Grief can really make a person collapse under their own weight.
Try to keep the restaurant as a source of good memories.