When mother told me she was living in a shelter I was floored. How could this be? She had three sons with beautiful homes and siblings with more than enough space. Yet, she was homeless and no one seemed to care. I called my brothers to let them know and to see if mother's extreme living situation would finally change their hearts on this matter. Of course, it didn't.
One brother said he had a family of his own now and did not want to be bothered with it. Another brother was still angry that we didn't help him pay a debt that he co-signed for mother. No matter what I said, that was his reason for not wanting to help. Even though he was long past that and comfortably in his beautiful home. The other said the only way he would help was if we moved mother from house to house every thirty days. Yup, his suggestion meant that mother would have to live like a transient among her children. Her siblings never offered anything.
I was livid! I asked her again to come live with me in Atlanta. She said, "Baby, I wish I could." Then said, "I'll be fine. Don't worry, I'll be okay." She would continue to go to her doctor's appointments and not much else. Her health started to rapidly decline. She couldn't walk for long periods, her appetite was gone, and she had to take what seemed to be thirty pills a day. Still, no one stepped up to help her other than me.
I remember traveling to my son's football game in Perry, GA when I received a call from mother. She was in the hospital and she wasn't doing well. She asked her doctor to speak with me, but I could tell he was limited in what he could say. He just kept saying, her lungs were the least of their concerns at the moment. Her liver and other issues were presenting serious concerns. He put mother back on the phone and she said, "I'm okay. I'm not scared. I'm at peace." It all didn't fully register with me. It was denial I'm sure. In my mind, whatever was wrong would eventually be fixed and then she could come live with me. I couldn't have been more wrong.
S
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