his possessions. From the day my sister left home at the age of 21, she required understanding from me that she couldn’t help with our parents because any situation in her own family superseded the needs of everyone else. I was expected to acknowledge and accept the black and white instructions God delivered regarding her responsibility and priorities. She showed no compassion for the sudden shift in my world and dismissed my aching soul as an unimportant personal issue. Instead, upon my return home, it was understood that I would immediately assume the role of designated problem solver for our parents.
The papers from Sanctimonious Shirley's husband were filled with technical jargon that no one could understand except Dad's physician. Talking with the doctor was hopeless because he was the one who prescribed the medication, and Dad would never question his doctor. My dad was part of the generation that revered anyone with education greater than his own which translated into unwavering trust and acceptance that a doctor would never give him something that could hurt him.
Frustrated, with no cooperation from Dad, Sanctimonious Shirley decided to go home, just as Exhausted Teresa (my outspoken, but ever-fatigued sister) arrived. As she was prone to do, Exhausted Teresa asked our parents a couple of questions, drew her own conclusions and continued a laundry list of instructions for me.
Exhausted Teresa’s opinions trumped anyone in conversation, but her smile and infectious laugh somehow softened her tone and could draw most anyone to her point of view. Her years of being an award-winning top salesperson boosted her opinion that she was right far more often than she was wrong, making any sort of communication with her a challenge. All my sisters lived less than a two-hour drive away from our parents, but this distance gave each of them permission to insist that I, being the in-town daughter, was to be "responsible for our parents." An infrequent trip home gave each of my sisters an inflated strength of wisdom and power to observe. Certainly, there had been occasions when an extra set of eyes and ears proved helpful. This time, however, in spite of my shattered heart, my sisters were not only unwilling to give me any space, they were extremely annoyed by my lack of communication with them. I needed time to grieve the profound change in my life and to grasp the plight of my parents, not a committee meeting with my sisters where they doled out opinions that always felt more like orders.
A few days after Exhausted Teresa’s arrival, Dad’s pain worsened significantly and she decided to take him to the emergency room. Exhausted Teresa phoned repeatedly, leaving messages on my answering machine, because she wanted me to go with them to the hospital. I assumed that she was capable of dealing with the situation, so I took an afternoon for myself. Every fiber of my being recognized that as soon as Exhausted Teresa left, the task of caring for our parents would fall in my lap. Dad’s emergency room visit resulted in a diagnosis of Polymyalgia and a prescription for steroids. As soon as she returned home with Dad, Exhausted Teresa phoned me and elaborated about her disappointment with me for not being more supportive of our parents and chastised me for leaving her alone to deal with everything. After enduring her verbal lashing, I asked what the doctor said about dad.
"If you had been with us, you could have heard that for yourself, you know." My sister continued, "We saw the doctor on call and he said that he wasn't absolutely certain of Dad's condition, but explained that the new medication should impact his pain level quickly. If it doesn't, he will have to undergo additional testing. All the doctor really did was send Dad back home with paperwork and a prescription that now I have to go to the pharmacy to get filled."
Exhausted Teresa droned on about our parents, complaining about Dad's attitude, Mom's incompetence and insisted that something be done about their situation. Clearly, my sister only wanted to rehash Mom and Dad's increasing needs. She expressed the same concerns repeatedly with different adjectives, just in case I missed the importance of her opinion. Worn down by Exhausted Teresa's words, I decided it was time to speak with our parents. Although Exhausted Teresa was still physically present in their home, to me she was irrelevant. She would be going back to her home in a neighboring state, leaving the blanket of responsibility for our parents resting on me.
Late in the afternoon I arrived at our parents' home, and found my dad reclining in his favorite chair. After kissing his forehead, I asked, “How are you feeling?”
“Not much different,” he sighed, heavily.
“I thought the emergency room doctor said that with the medication, you would be getting some relief from the pain by now. Do you think we need to call him?” I asked.
Seeing my confusion, my father said, “I don’t have the prescription yet.”
The emergency room ordeal occurred in the early morning hours. It was now 5:00 p.m., nearly ten hours later, and the prescription, meant to give fast-acting relief, had yet to be filled?
My sister, seeing a crimson flush crawling up my neck, quickly explained, “I was just getting ready to go to the pharmacy to fill the prescription. You couldn't possibly understand how exhausting and stressful this day has been! I could barely move by the time we got home from the hospital. What an awful place to have to go!"
For a moment, I simply stared at my sister. Then I looked at my dad's sad, pain-laden eyes. Mystified by my sister's selfishness, shock quickly escalated into anger as I tried to comprehend her words and attitude.
Seething in utter disbelief, I turned from my sister and focused on my parents.
After a deep breath I said, “While she goes to get your medication, I think we need to talk for a few minutes. I have a couple of questions for you.”
Mom slowly walked into the living room and with the aid of her new lift-chair, lowered herself to the same level beside my dad. I chose a seat across from them where I might observe their reactions to our discussion. My self-centered, exhausted sister apparently forgot her intention to go to the pharmacy and moved a chair as close as she dared.
I never anticipated being in such an uncomfortable position and tried not to fidget as I said, “Taking care of everything around here seems kind of overwhelming for you both now. I think we may need to make some adjustments to give you a little extra help. What do you think?”
Exhausted Teresa interjected, “Oh yes, they need help! You just have no idea how much help is needed around here!”
Ignoring her in order to maintain my rapidly diminishing composure, I looked at my parents and waited for a response.
After a moment of contemplation my dad answered, “Yes, I think your mother could use some help with laundry, changing bed linens, bathing, and maybe a few other things.” That was my dad! He was the one who had been in the emergency room that day, but my mom was the one who needed help! Gently asking questions and listening to their answers, the somewhat awkward conversation continued and Mom and Dad’s greatest desire emerged.
Dad looked at my mom and then at me. After a moment of silence he said,
“We just want to stay in our own home as long as possible. What has to happen so we can do that?”
Willing myself to speak I said, “I’m not sure, but I think we can figure it out.”
Armed with the tablet of notes I’d taken during our conversation, I prepared to leave. Glancing at my sister, I suggested that she might finally go pick up Dad’s medication. She grabbed the car keys, stuffed her arms into her sweater and muttered under her breath, “You think you know everything that’s going on around here. You know absolutely nothing because you’re never here!” And before I could respond, she walked out and shut the door behind her with just enough force to make sure that I understood her point.
After a moment I said, “Well, I’ll get to work on this list and figure things out, beginning on Monday. Dad, let’s see how your night goes and how you’re feeling tomorrow. Keep me posted.”
“Thank you so much for coming over. We love you,” said Dad. Mom, consumed by her own fears, nodded in agreement as tears teetered on the edge of her eyelids. After embracing each of my parents and assuring them that I would do everything possible to honor their wishes, I left.
As I drove home, a fog of fatigue settled around me as I thought about what steps