Those of you who know me, know how important my relationship with my mother has been over the years. Six years ago she had a kidney transplant. My sister, Carol, was the donor. During the process of harvesting my sister's kidney (actually just moments before), Beatrice had a small heart attack, her brain was deprived of oxygen for a few mintues and the transplant operation ceased. (they were able to complete the transplant a few days later). Those few minutes though have turned into a life-robbing process of shaving numerous years from her life. It really is difficult to assess this though as she had refused dialysis for the years prior to her eligibilty for the transplant.
Each year we visit the Mayo Clinic and hear that the transplanted kidney is healthy. Once we were beyond the rejection phase of three months or so, we have had to add a knee replacement for her and watched her change from the strong and independent woman to a different mother. This mother loses track of time and space. She spits vitriol at her children in her confusion. She hides other people's possessions. I understand the why this happening. It does not make it any easier. So I will be combing my photographs of Beatrice so that you can all see the mother that I have loved all these years. I hope that you can eknjoy getting to know her as much as I have loved her.
See the sparkle in her eyes.
Beatrice is and always will be a teacher. She was my first teacher and it appears that she will continue to teach me about life, even now, as I watch her drift away from me.
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