Tomorrow I will attend my third funeral in six weeks. All for parents of friends and tomorrow it is a family friend I’ve known all my life. Jim Krempel was only 66. His wife was my Mom’s best friend. They have four children and two grandchildren (one more expected in April.) I hate this.
My mom was 60 years old when she died of breast cancer. She was one year older than Jim. Jim went out to get the mail a few weeks ago and fell, hitting his head. Even though he was in and out of ICU, no one expected him to die. I feel so sad and awful for his kids. I know how impossible life is for them right now.
My dad continues to ignore his health. He definitely has high blood pressure and probably has diabetes. He refuses to go to the doctor and insists he will manage his health through diet and exercise. He gets angry whenever sis or I talk to him about his health. He is an adult and there is nothing we can do about his choices. Even if we could somehow force him to get a physical, we could not force him to follow a doctor’s advice. Did my mom feel this helpless and worried as she watched my weight grow year after year?
A neighbor two doors down from my parent’s house (and next door to my sis) is also in ICU. She fell down her basement steps and cracked her skull. She did this the same week Jim fell. When I heard the bad news in sis’s voice on Monday I assumed she would tell me that Dorthea had died. I don’t know how she is doing. Last I heard she had not regained consciousness since the fall. Will I go to another service next week?
I'm so sorry - funerals are not easy. Try to no let all the life/death/fate stuff churn too much in your head.
Posted by: distracted | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 09:30 AM