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Saturday, April 01, 2006

golden bowls - shattered


This is a picture of my husband’s parents taken last October (Thanksgiving). At the time they were still living independently in their townhouse.

In mid-December, at the urging of their doctor - and much to their own dismay - their children moved them to an assisted living complex. They settled in and began to enjoy being pampered – free of housework and cleaning, having their meals made for them.

Then on Christmas day Dad fell. In hospital they discovered he had an aneurysm. We expected he could go any time. The family rallied around.

But he survived. Somewhere along the way, though, he lost his ability to walk. After three weeks in hospital he was moved to an extended care facility (this is a higher level of care than assisted living). It was what he needed, but now after 65 years of marriage, he and Mom were separated.

They pined for each other. We put in numerous requests to the powers-that-be to move Mom to the same place as Dad. (With increasing memory problems she definitely qualified).

Last weekend the extended care facility told E’s brother they had a spot for Mom. She was moved last Sunday night. Dad was happy!

The first night there, during the night she got up to go to the bathroom – and fell.

At first they thought that she only suffered bruises. But yesterday the caregivers had her examined by a doctor. They discovered she has a hematoma as well as a broken pelvis. Now she’s in hospital, they’re separated again and she may need surgery.

And so I’m reminded again how quickly and inevitably physical life disintegrates. I love how these words from Ecclesiastes 12 describe aging, and the advice they give:


Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the difficult days come,
And the years draw near when you say,
‘I have no pleasure in them.’...

Remember your Creator
before the silver cord is loosed,
Or the golden bowl is broken
Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain
Or the wheel broken at the well... (NKJV)

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