Comparing last days -- then and now

Obviously, since I am over 90 and have several medial problems to deal with, I know that I am in my last few years of existence. Maybe 10, maybe less. However, if you believe everything the computer tells you I will live to Oct. 13, 2025. Whatever is the true figure I do know that I am spending some precious last years.

I find myself comparing my situation with my mother's last years. My father had died four years earlier and she was pretty healthy for a couple of years before she became a shut-in. She spent her days sitting on the end of her couch where she could look out east toward the lawn and the public road. She had caregivers who lived on site and did her work and brought her meals. She kept the current Kansas City Star beside her on the couch to keep track of the days. There was a TV in the living room but she never watched it unless someone was visiting and had turned it on. Her eight children called often, but the phone was across the dining room from her usual spot, so we hesitated to call her without first notifying the caregivers to be alert to bring the phone to her. Bless his heart; Dr. Pascoe even made a house call to check on her.

I was living at Archie and later at Butler during these years. I kept their old Buick to be able to go down to visit her at least twice a week, sometimes more often. That meant I had to take toddler Susan with me on these hour long, one-way trips. She usually slept in the back seat. (No seat belts then). So unless some of the far away children visited we were the main family visitors. Miriam and Ellen came as often as they could, and the other siblings visited rarely from their distances.

Fast forward to my situation. When I don't feel able to go anywhere except to the doctor, I spend my days in a new lounge chair that gets me up as well as reclines to a bed. I have my smart phone nearby where I can play Scrabble and other games to keep my mind keen. I have a telephone, television, which I do watch. My husband is puttering around with the fire in the stove, my daughter is playing games on another computer in a nearby room, Daily my son comes to bring wood for the fire and to bring us the mail, Susan, all grown up, lives across the way and I can see her car going to work and if I'm awake at night when she comes home. She also does her laundry here so I see her often. Our other son in Texas calls frequently and will visit with us for over an hour when he does.

I can look out east at the lawn and public road, and turn to see the life on the pond as well as the birds on the bird feeder. My daughter-in-law asks if I need groceries when she goes to town, and she and our great granddaughter bring our great-great-great-granddaughters to visit us often. I keep the Nevada Daily Mail nearby, not to see the day but to see if my column and articles got in OK.

And when I get my energy up I come to the computer and spill my thoughts out to you readers in that paper. I want to keep that going as long as possible, and if I think I can't I will write a farewell column to you who have been my friends who I may not have met, but hopefully you know me because of my ramblings.

All in all, life is good and I really am enjoying being home more and I mustn't forget Mama Kitty who has given in in her old age to share the warmth and food as well as comfort in our home with me. What's more, there is still one more season of two of my favorite Masterpiece Theater series.

Last, but not least, I have an angel who appears three times a week to get everything back in order.