Entry #4. Putting My Life on Hold

 I never imagined that my life would be put on hold, but it was.  You go through life day to day and never think about anything crazy happening.  You see everyone going about their business and not a thought about anything negative happening to them or delaying them from proceeding with their lives.

It happened to me.  On April 30, 2004, I got the news that put my life on hold.  My sister had called and told me that our mom had a stroke and lost her speech along with her comprehension.  I was in total shock and speechless.  My mind was going crazy with all kinds of thoughts about what was happening at the moment and in the future.  That wasn't the end of it.  She ended up having a heart attack and needing a triple bypass as well.  

After being released from the hospital, my mom needed a lot of therapy.  My father was in Iraq, so I was left to care for her.  I became my mom's full time caregiver.  While doing this, I really didn't have time to do things with my daughter.  Actually, I didn't have time for anything, but my mom.  This is when I realized that my life was on hold.  Yes, it was on hold for 5 years.

My father returned from Iraq after serving two terms.  I was finally able to start getting back to my life.  I reflected back to the five years and thought about the fact that my life was on hold unexpectedly.  Nowadays, I am open minded to the fact that it can happen to anyone at any time.  We should always keep in mind that it can happen to us.