HOMESTRETCH AFTER HITTING THE FINAL CURVE HARD

Sports analogies don’t always work the way they’re supposed to work, but comparing a life to a race always does the trick.

From the starting line, to the backstretch, to the final curve going down to the wire, it all sounds like a life well lived.

The closer we are to the race, the life, the longer we want it to last. But that’s why it’s called the homestretch.

My mother in law ran her final race fast. We were drinking beer on a Friday, she had a headache Sunday, it got worse Monday. She went into the hospital on Tuesday and died the next day, September 6th.

She was in the hospital less than twenty four hours. My wife and I decided we’d like to run the same race.

My father in law took the long way home. He went from an imminent death in the hospital, the same one my mother in law died in, but came home instead.

Once there, he lived another five years. I don’t think he was all that happy about it.

My Grandma decided enough was enough after a hard surgery. She was all set to ride it out to the end on lemon meringue pie, then changed her mind. But it was a late change.

Her last days included lots of pie, but no hope to survive.

My dad succumbed to a lengthy series of mini-stokes brought on by type-2 diabetes history. It was a hard one.

Momma’s Homestretch

My mom had a lengthy time of illness in her later years made better by her husband Glenn. He stayed by her, tended to her needs, and always kept an upbeat attitude.

She would have been miserable without him, and he loved her. My wife and I decided she was happy to know her man was beside her. And she was. I hope I can do as well as he did.

We never know how things will turn out, but still hope for the best. Momma got the best from a great guy, a trucker who’d been everywhere, and driven every rig that had ever been made.

Now it’s his turn and he’s rounded the last turn and headed home. He did it the right way then, and he’s doing it the right way now.