Visiting my parents, after a month in Ann Arbor
Hey, Dementia is bad, but not THAT bad! My mom remembers raising three children, right? That's good! She may forget details, or who she is talking to, and spouses names, and the ten grandchildren - even I can't keep them all straight. But she remembers being married to my biological father, and raising three children with him, and marrying my stepdad and raising his two.
So that's something, she probably will never forget raising three children with my dad.
Here's the thing: I am the fourth child.
I exist.
She raised me. And I was her favorite. Her special later-in-life accident. The withdrawal method in a hotel room on the way from Illinois to the new house in Westbury New York.
She was overjoyed to meet me. She was curious where I lived all my life, and who raised me. I got a hug.
I smiled with my stepdad, and laughed at the silly lapse. He didn't cry until after she went to bed. I didn't cry at all, although as I type this out, wouldn't you know it, my eyes are starting to water.
She raised four children.
So that's something, she probably will never forget raising three children with my dad.
Here's the thing: I am the fourth child.
I exist.
She raised me. And I was her favorite. Her special later-in-life accident. The withdrawal method in a hotel room on the way from Illinois to the new house in Westbury New York.
She was overjoyed to meet me. She was curious where I lived all my life, and who raised me. I got a hug.
I smiled with my stepdad, and laughed at the silly lapse. He didn't cry until after she went to bed. I didn't cry at all, although as I type this out, wouldn't you know it, my eyes are starting to water.
She raised four children.