Heaven-sent
An unexpected gift from my very own angel
O n June 13, 2022, my mother passed away at the age of 85. Dementia robbed Mom of her vivacious personality; before her rapid emotional, cognitive decline, she felt comfortable striking up conversations with strangers about anything and everything. She often lost track of time and would become agitated when my twin brother, Andrew, her sister Kim, or I tried to correct her when she missed doctor appointments or forgot to pay bills.
After Dad died in 2011, it gradually became too difficult for her to manage on her own. In 2018 we made the difficult decision to move Mom into assisted living on Long Island, near my brother and sister-in-law Denise — I lived in Brooklyn at the time — I would visit frequently several times every month. I helped with housework when I could. Mom was convinced she would be able to move back to her house, we humored her, which in hindsight, was a mistake. My brother hired a contractor to renovate the house when it failed inspection, due to structural issues. He had all the rooms painted colors that he and Denise wanted intending to move it. Then the pandemic happened. Like millions of others, I had not work — I’m a full-time freelance Digital Content/SEO Strategist, and a prolific author. I needed emergency gallbladder surgery a week before NYC went into lockdown. My brother hired movers to haul my belongings to our childhood…
