Hello everyone,
My name is Robin. I am 24. I lost my mother two years ago. The 2 year anniversary just passed last week. November 11th. My mother was diagnosed with Lupus back in 1991. She had a kidney transplant and they told her she was only going to last for 10 years. Well the Lord actually gave her 17 years with her kidney. So that was a blessing. Through out the years with all the medications she had to take on a daily basis and a generally weak immune system from the Lupus, she developed many other illnesses and health problems. She was a type 2 diabetic, she had benign cyst on her breast twice, two hip surgeries, cataracts, glaucoma, angina, she had a stroke which left her eyes to have double vision, gout, and other things that I can't even think of right now, I'm getting teary-eyed just typing. She had to take at least 25 medications a day. And a shot every other week. She finally died of kidney infection and respiratory failure. She had an infection so bad, that it was pretty much backing up in her body. They tried dialysis but it the fluid just would reappear, and it filled up her lungs which caused the respiratory part. Not only did I lose my mother but I lost my family. After my mom died, my family decided they wanted to make all the decisions for her, but did not have the money to make the decisions regarding final arrangements. They all decided to shun my father and I, and we haven't spoken to them since. The only family I talk to are my dad's side of the family and my sister which was just my mom's daughter, her kids, and another nephew. Both my parents have always been disabled, so I had to grow up a little quicker than most kids. We all took care of each other. When my mom died, my father and I had to continue the tradition, so for the first year that she was gone, I ha to step up and take care of the household. I worked took care of the bills, and went back to school. It was very difficult. This year I transferred to a four year university, got a better job, and even though things were getting better, as soon as the fall hit, all of those memories of betrayal from family, and week after week of visiting my mother at Henry Ford Hospital came back to haunt me. When you're working 40 hours a week, and going to school and taking care of a household, you don't get a minute to just free your mind, and when you do, it's like an emotional roller coaster. So that's why I came here. Even after 2 years, it feels as if it happened yesterday.