You Don't Know What You Have Until It Is Taken Away

It's been a long time in coming and I realized I should post an update after so many have asked.

My mom is doing wonderful, amazing and terrific! She is even better than her old self. My dad convinced her to voluntarily commit herself to a psych ward after multiple trips to the ER. This was back in mid-November. They let her out after about a week of monitoring during which her behavior went downhill. She was forever confused about what day it was and when she was going home. She had a fit and stood on the community room's coffee table. At her lowest moment, she even asked for a knife to kill herself with.

And then one day, after they changed her medication for the tenth time- it was as if she just snapped out of it. The ridiculously large grin returned to her face. She became excited about life again- even the things that seem dull to others. She held and cooed at her grandson- once again enjoying the fact that she is a grandma.

We are truly thankful that the demon that had been eating away at her is being defeated. After thinking that I had lost her for good, it feels so great to have her back. She gave us all a wake up call- my dad, brothers, sister and me. Losing her for two months has taught us to appreciate all that she brings to our lives and that she is what holds our family together. She is the one who cooks the dinner, keeps the house in some kind of organized fashion, makes lunches for my brother in school, organizes pick ups and drop offs. She is the one you can go to when you are hurting. When you just need to talk. She is our spiritual strength and likely the only one who will truly love us forever, unconditionally.

So now, we don't even mind when she nags us to go to church.