My mom was a Nursing sister – and a very good one to boot.  I remember walking around the shops in the area we lived and bumping into her patients (small town living everyone knows everyone) and all of them telling me what a good bed side manner she had, and how grateful they were that SHE was assigned to them.  As any well mannered 10 yr old would, I would nod and smile politely all the time thinking…. “are you talking about MY mom?”

My mom, that told me to take 2 panado and she’ll check on me in the morning, my mom that would send me to school no matter what I illness I allegedly had, my mom that although gave me the best medical care and medication possible, but couldn’t give me a hug to make it all better… where they really talking about MY mom like that?

For years this question bugged me, until one day I could not take it anymore – I HAD to know why we were so clearly treated differently to her patients.  “Mom” I said “why is it that your patients seem to love you so much for your bedside manner but you only ever give us the medication we need and send us to bed – when all we really want is a hug from mommy a promise that it will be alright?”.  The answer to this question will be etched in my mind forever “because it hurts to much to be around you when you are sick” was her reply – simple words that did not mean much until last week….

Last week I sat helplessly watching my son burn up with fever.  I had given him every kind of medicine allowed for a child of only 19 months.  I had taken him to the doctor who told me to give him everything I had already given him, to sponge him down with luke warm water, or pop him in a “just off cool” bath – all of which I had done and was still doing.  Until eventually it was easier to just put him in his cot and watch him cry in fright at what his body was doing…. And all the time my mom’s words ringing “because it hurts to much” that is why I cant hold you now, that is why I’m in tears watching you, that is why my mom was so different with us – because it simply hurts to much!

Written in memory of my mom – wise words from a wiser woman that will never be forgotten.

Single mom in the city 

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