Ten More Minutes, Please!


Michelle Hunt

On March 3rd, 1999 my life as I had known it changed forever. My loving Mom passed away. Mom passed away in her sleep from a massive heart attack at the young age of 56. My Mom was expected to pick up my great aunt to meet my grandfather (who is in a nursing home) at the hospital where he was having cataract surgery that morning. I was busy going about my business that morning, putting the baby down for a nap, checked my e-mail figuring I would call Mom later that day to see how the surgery had gone. My great aunt called me at 10:30 that morning and said "Shell, what's going on, your Mom was supposed to pick me up at 7:40 and she didn't show up" I called Mom's house, both cell phone numbers and then I called the hospital to see if she had made it for Grandpa's surgery, when they said she hadn't my heart just sank. At first I had hoped that she had forgotten my great aunt,(something she would never do), Mom was a diabetic so I pictured her at home in the middle of a reaction and she needed help. I called my aunt and told her that we couldn't find Mom, she got in the car and went over to Mom and Dads house. I sat home for what seemed like an eternity with no word. Finally I called Mom and Dads and My Aunt simply said "Your Mom's dead" In that instant my world crashed. Mom had been to the doctor just a month before and nothing was out of the ordinary and actually had a perfectly normal EKG.

She was my shopping partner, spend the night and stay up to the wee hours talking about anything and everything partner, consultant to just about anything partner. Mom left us so suddenly and far too soon, although we would never want to see her suffer for a minute. Mom was a loving "Babu" (Polish for grandmother) the role that she cherished most of all. Her license plate reads "I'M BABU". Mom left behind our 8 year old who adored her endlessly, our 8 week old newborn and my brother's 7 month old. There wasn't anything that Mom wouldn't drop to spend time with her grandchildren. She was there on Grandparent's Day at school, she was there at soccer games, always here to look at a tooth that got bumped on the playground, always here for help and dinner after the baby, took pictures of our son at her house on the phone the minute we told him he was a big brother, brought him to the hospital with a bib that reads "My big brother loves me", there (within minutes) the day our newborn was admitted to the hospital with RSV and cried watching him under an oxygen tent (just 2 weeks before she passed away), there for the christening 2 weeks before she passed away holding and feeding him the entire day in her glory, there 5 days before she passed away so I could get a much needed girls dinner out (which she literally pushed me out of the door for) and not here for her grandson's First Holy Communion 6 weeks after her death, but Mom being Mom was there because she had ordered his suit, card and his gift 3 months prior, not there for Easter but like Mom the kids cards and baskets were already there. Somedays I feel like I don't know how I will get through this the but then I realize that my Mom was busy for 31 years teaching me how to be a Mom and a strong person to get through this. But how I miss you each day. The love and joy I experienced with you as my Mom is something some daughters never have in many more years with their mothers.

Mom, Dad and I love you and miss you more than you can imagine. These few short words could never begin to express the preciousness of your 56 years here on earth. You were my best friend, Dads' only love and such a loving grandmother. Now I know the true significance of the statue that you gave Andrew on his christening day, you are the Guardian Angel in that statue that will guide all of us for as many days as God grants us on earth. Please guide us through this sorrowful journey. We love you.

Wishing for 10 precious minutes to get one more hug, one more laugh, one more cry, and most of all to once again tell you I love you.

Carol Lea Janeczek 12/22/42 - 3/3/99

Your loving daughter,

Michelle



You can send email to Michelle at: [email protected]
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anniversary date 3-3-99
date of post 4-21-99

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Crisis, Grief, and Healing: Tom Golden LCSW