Goodbye, Mom

You were probably asking yourself why I was heading back to America again. I mean, it's not a trivial trip and I just got back to David and Nine of Cups in January. My sister, Lin, called a few days ago. Our 87-year-old mom who had been doing quite well had had a mild heart attack and was in the hospital. After a few days, they transferred her to Rehab, but her breathing was very labored.

When Lin called last February, I flew home when the doctors all advised that mom wouldn't make it. She surprised us all when she rallied and recouped. She's a tough girl … feisty and strong … she's always bounced back before. But this time it was not to be.

I arrived in Boston in the evening … 34 hours after leaving Perth. Lin picked me up at the airport curb and whisked me away to the nursing home to see Bea. She was barely conscious … so very tired, but she held our hands. She seemed to know we were both there with her. We talked to her, sang her a song and said goodbye.

We got the call early in the morning. She had just passed. I thought we could delay the inevitable, but of course, we couldn't. She did wait for me to say goodbye … her last gift to me and I love her for it.