Ma/Mom/Mum

Many people would look past yet another story about a mother’s love,thinking the “act of kindness” is one of many attributes that comes hand in hand with motherhood,but how far could one actually go? My mum showed she would do absolutely anything and did go truly above and beyond at a time when i needed her like I’ve never needed anyone before.

It was February 2016, I had just moved house with my 7 year old son who happens to be autistic, I had to make this move due to The department of corrections needing a more suitable address to house my estranged husband as he was applying for home detention,yes he was in jail. I had decided to reconcile after being separated since 2010 and support him emotionally and financially through this as he was half way through a 4 year prison sentence,my support mainly consisted of weekly family visits to the prison,(which was draining my bank account) and constant incoming phone calls from him in jail (with no privacy of course) Id decided to help as he didn’t have anyone else,so everything was on riding on my shoulders.

The December prior I began to rapidly loose weight and continually vomit, as I had a lot on my plate I didn’t think much of it...that was until one day at home I passed out in a pool of my own vomit,right front of my son,leaving him to call my mum for help, this ended up with me sitting in the back of an ambulance watching my poor hysterical son call for his mummy over and over,he and I were never apart at that time as he suffered severe separation anxiety,he was unable to grasp what was happening,I could tell he was scared senseless.

So on top of all the goings on I was kept in the hospital for 3 weeks with still no answers of what was wrong with me,every day there was spent getting test after test while I continued to lose weight and throw everything up.

But in those 3 weeks my angel of a mother who was in her early 70’s at this point offered me help without my asking, she canceled her 2 week holiday to Phuket and was there by my side,her support and kindness never wavered,she was the only one there to get me and my son (who has very high sensory needs) through these 3 intense weeks,no family offered help as i think they were thinking it would all blow over soon and I’d be back to normal in no time.

Even after a week into my hospital stay I could tell mum was bone tired (she was also juggling work commitments) and I could also see the fear in her eyes as I continued to deteriorate,but I had no one else to lean on, no one to even call on to give my mum respite,so...she would take my son to and from school every day and spend most the days in hospital with me, then go home alone to tend to my son and his needs.

If I apologized for leaning on her to much she’d just shrug it off and joke that I owed her when I was better.

After three weeks I demanded day leave from hospital,where again I collapsed, as I needed another ambulance I went back through emergency,having all the tests again.

This time they saw the mass.....and after a tense three days waiting on the results to come back, the surgeons gathered around my bed and told me the tumor was cancerous

After the surgeons left my room I called my poor exhausted mum in a panic, I blurted it all out in tears,and yet again she was my rock,she responded with only calmness and positivity.

After a long five weeks in hospital with her coming in every single day,my dear Mum was there again when I was discharged,she took me back to her house for another 2 weeks of help and care for myself and my son.

For 7 long exhausting weeks she gave me the ultimate act of kindness I believe, my son is extremely difficult to deal with at times but she was there for him,she knew he’d be distressed in someone else’s care.

she even respected my decision to reconcile my marriage and support my husband though his incarceration she openly accepted him back into the family after doing his time!

Even though I’m cancer free, and have been for 4 years now, if I have a follow up appointment and start to think irrationally,she is there talking me down and comes to every appointment with me bursting with positivity.

She’s amazing and continues to offer kindness love and support