Saturday, March 28, 2009

I NOMINATE MY MOTHER-IN-LAW

MY MOTHER-IN-LAW, PATTIE, IS AN ANGEL ON EARTH. MY HUSBAND, RON, DIED 2 1/2 YEARS AGO. I HAD NEVER MET MY HUSBAND'S FAMILY AS THEY LIVED IN WASHINGTON STATE AND I WAS IN OHIO. WE HAD ADOPTED A NEWBORN LITTLE GIRL, GRACIE. WHEN RON DIED MY WORLD FELL APART. PATTIE WAS THERE FOR ME AND THE PHONE CALLS TO HER WERE MY LIFELINE. SHE WANTED GRACIE AND I TO MOVE TO WASHINGTON SO SHE COULD TAKE CARE OF US. NOW THIS WAS SO AMAZING TO ME BECAUSE MY MOTHER-IN-LAW HAS SEVERE MS AND AT TIMES CANNOT WALK. HER EYESIGHT IS STARTING TO DETERIORATE. SO WE TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON FOR VACATION. AND SHE WELCOMED US WITH OPEN ARMS! IT FELT AS IF WE WERE COMING HOME! WHEN WE ARRIVED HOME I BEGAN TO PREPARE FOR A MOVE ACROSS COUNTRY. I HAD THE CAR PACKED AND NEXT THING I KNEW I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL ALMOST DYING. PATTIE HELPED ME GET THROUGH THAT HORROR AND BECAUSE TRAVELING THEN WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION FOR THE NEXT YEAR SHE HELPED ME COPE WITH DAILY PHONE CALLS. IN JUNE OF THAT YEAR A FAMILY FRIEND MOLESTED MY 5 YR OLD DAUGHTER AND 2 WEEKS LATER I WAS IN AN 11-DAY COMA AND HOSPITALIZED FOR 2 MONTHS. MY WONDERFUL MOTHER-IN-LAW CALLED THE HOSPITAL DAILY TRACKING DOWN ANYONE WHO WOULD TELL HER I WAS. FINALLY LAST OCTOBER MY DAUGHTER AND I MADE OUR MOVE TO WASHINGTON, STAYING WITH HER FOR 2 MONTHS TILL WE FOUND OUR OWN PLACE. THERE WILL NEVER BE A MOTHER-IN-LAW LIKE HER! SHE DESERVES A METAL! BUT KNOWING HER, SHE WOULD LOVE THE COOKIES MUCH MORE!!!!