Happy Birthday Momma

So today is not my mother's official birthday, but it is the one year anniversary of her open heart surgery. Many of you already know the story, but here's the Reader's Digest version... We were on vacation in Charleston this time last year, and my mom had a heart attack, the next day she had open heart surgery. I remember the moment the doctor told me she would have to have open heart surgery. I looked at him and said, "but you don't understand doctor, we are on vacation"... I know he thought I was a complete moron. It was very late at this point and I sat in the Cardiac Care waiting room, by myself, it just hadn't hit me yet that my mother was about to have major surgery. There was no one there to hold my hand, or hug me and tell me it was going to be ok. But it's like I didn't want those people there anyway, b/c that would make all of it so very real. I was able to tell my mother goodnight, I'm pretty sure she was sedated and didn't realize I was there. I drove back to the hotel and left the car in front for it to be valet'd. I walked into the hotel room and fell to the floor. For the first time all night, I cried, the pain came from a place I didn't know I had. I begged God NOT to take my momma from me. At that moment, peace washed over me and I knew it would be alright. That night, I wrapped myself in mother's robe, it smelled pretty like she always does, and I slept for about two hours before I had to get up and start making phone calls..

I made the necessary phone calls and I remember one call specifically, it's actually kind of funny... I called my Aunt Libby (my mother's sister in law), I told her what happened, then I told her NOT to call my mother's sister Patsy. That woman is as crazy as a Sh*t House rat and I didn't need her anywhere near me at this point... What was even funnier, Aunt Libby totally agreed. Eventually I called her, but not until after the surgery and I had everything well in hand..

The recovery was the worst part... Momma is not exactly the most gracious patient... It got to the point I had to tell momma to zip her lip b/c if she complained anymore to the hospital staff that they were going to put a pillow over her face, or I was going to do it, one or the other!!!! Looking back there were some really funny moments. She and I can talk about them now without fussing. It's very healing for the both of us..

So today July 6, I say to my momma, happy birthday.. Today is the day you were given a second lease on life and I was given a second chance to be a better daughter. Momma's are very special and I don't think there is any other momma that is as wonderful as mine!!!Thanks be to God...