Saturday, February 7, 2009

You are not that OLD!!!! Are you?

Saturday February 7th I took Sadie to see her Grandma and Grandpa Honeycutt, my parents, for the weekend. We had a great time in Utah for a few days just relaxing, napping and visiting. Saturday afternoon my mom showed me all her latest "shopping trip buys". A new wig, several hats, bandana's and scarfs from the cancer institute.
What I am saying, "These are really cute, the wig looks just like your hair"
What I am thinking, "Holy shiz, my mom has cancer, this totally sucks" Later that night my mom and dad talked about how they should purchase some burial plots so the kids don't have to worry about that.
Sunday morning we head to church. The ward my parents are in is the ward that I grew up in. The bishop stands to give the announcements and lets the congregation know that Gary Shumway, my childhood friends' dad, passed away this last week from prostate cancer and the viewing is tonight. Wow. Sunday night my sister Tami hosted a dinner for all my siblings, parents and our families. My parents were taking more pictures than usual and wanted a picture of them with their kids only. After which my dad gives a mini speech about how we all need to get along and love each other because we are family and family is what is the most important.
Monday morning my dad has an appointment with his doctor because last week he had a lapse in his thinking and couldn't say something when he wanted to. The doctor thinks he had a mini-stroke and ordered more testing to be done on Tuesday.
Tuesday afternoon my dad heads to the hospital for several tests.
What I'm thinking "Wait, didn't I come to visit my mom because she has cancer? What is the deal with my dad?"
Tuesday night my mom takes me to her book club group. We get there and there is a room full of old grannies.....my mom can't possibly be as old as these women, she is my mom. The conversations skips between talking about Medicare benefits and filling prescriptions at Medco because it is much cheaper than anywhere else. Others converse about their different ailments and their husbands who have passed on. Somewhere in there we talked about a book.
Wednesday Sadie and I flew home.
Don't get me wrong we had a good time in Utah but it was hard to not realize that my parent's "Aren't getting any younger". My mom is still young enough to argue with me about politics and my dad still has enough spunk to builds hot rods. Our own mortality is something that was brought to the forefront and makes you realize how fragile life is.

2 comments:

TJ said...

WHAT! I so didn't know this about dad...holy crap.

Melinda said...

Perspective. It sucks.