Tonight's picture was taken in September of 2008. Mattie was in his second month of treatment. We were home and as you can see Mattie was already on an IV and his buddy, Patches, was nearby. Patches was an amazing cat. I remember, prior to having Mattie, that I got sick with a terrible fever. It ranged from 101 to 103 degrees. My head was spinning and I was too out of it to move. I distinctly remember Patches jumping on the bed and staying with me until Peter came home from work. Which was why I coined the term "Nurse Patches!" Nurse Patches was on duty for Mattie too, until of course we had to board Patches at our vet for a year. This was necessary because we spent more time living in the hospital than at home, and I needed to make sure Patches was taken care, given her medication and provided appropriate attention.
Quote of the day: How does it feel, to see a dying child? One does not feel at all for there is nothing in the mind to make sense of it. Nothing, but one's own death. ~ A.J. West
On the 22nd anniversary of 9/11, I certainly remember and will never forget where I was on that horrific day. I was home in Washington, DC and Peter was at work in Virginia. I was pregnant with Mattie and had my first OB/GYN appointment that day. Needless to say, that never happened. Instead, I was glued to the television and worried about how Peter was going to get home. I was also worried that we would be a target somehow as we lived so close to all the monuments in the city. Peter said the drive home was eerie as people were escaping the city on car and foot, and yet he was driving back in. It was a day never to be forgotten, nor will I ever forget the lives of thousands taken that day and families that are forever changed.
As I was listening to the radio this morning, I heard from several people who were personally affected by 9/11. They expressed sadness over the fact that children and people born before 2001, have NO CONCEPT about the terror that took place on September 11th. Therefore, the anniversary of this tragedy has little to no significance to them. I listened and absorbed what was being said, and understood the heartache being expressed. Losing a loved one in a traumatic manner leaves a lasting hole in one's mind and spirit, and to some extent we expect the rest of the world to stop spinning and functioning because the loss is so profound for us. Certainly 9/11 has or should have large ramifications on all Americans, but first and foremost there needs to be love, compassion, and respect for the thousands of families who lives changed forever on that day. These lives and the courage of these individuals should NEVER be forgotten.
I took my dad to his memory care center today and then drove my mom into the city to get her hair and nails done. We are now going to a salon closer to where I used to live in the city. This was a necessary change that I decided on a few months ago. Parking is much easier now and I don't have to worry about my mom tripping on Georgetown's uneven sidewalks. The salon we are going to now is more low key, not frenetic and I have known the owner for decades. Everyone there looks out for me and my mom, and frankly I need as much help and support as I can get. It was a day of a lot of driving and running around. I was going to cook dinner tonight, but then I decided..... why? There is only one of me and I am running myself into the ground. Therefore I decided to order food out and have it at home. I wouldn't have made that decision a few months ago, but I am trying to be more intentional now about my own needs. This doesn't come naturally to me, as my instinct is to always help and look out for others. As helping others is very meaningful to me, but I am well aware of my level of exhaustion and the consequences all of this is having on my physical and emotional state.
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