Stop All The Clocks: Aunt Pat Leaves & Sean Arrives

At the end of June Mom had now completed two cycles of chemo. She was become weaker and she was becoming more tired. The initial energy that had come roaring in with the initiation in chemo and new pain medications had worn out. She was used to them. Her positive attitude was dwindling as well. She was becoming less and less able to take care of herself. She only had the effort to put on a good show for the public. Unfortunately, Aunt Pat was getting the brunt of her anger with myself second in line.

I'm going to go a little off topic at the moment, but it has a point. We deal with a lot of behavioral problems with our daughter Amelia at home. She is extremely strong willed and wants to do what she wants to do. We deal with hours of screaming and tantruming at home on a daily basis. However, my child is an angel for others. She is well behaved at school, daycare, and for any baby-sitters. In fact, if Spencer, myself, or Kristina are not around she is as pleasant as they come. I get a lot of flack for this. I've been told I'm being manipulated and we don't have control of our child. This week her daycare provider told me however that she knows that parents are doing something right if their children are well-behaved for others. This was a weight off my shoulders. Amelia trusts us at home, she knows we're never going to leave her and our love is unconditional. She is secure so she allows her raw emotion to come out. I believe this was how my Mom was feeling. She was putting on her best behavior for everyone else, but Aunt Pat and I were experiencing her raw emotion, her anger, her loss of control. We were her punching bag because she trusted us and she knew we loved her unconditionally. We would not leave.

The week prior to her second cycle of chemo I urged Aunt Pat to go home. It was too tough. Mom was not being nice to Aunt Pat. I could take care of it, I said, she's my Mom. Aunt Pat said very seriously and without hesitation, "Danielle, I've known your Mom for a long time. I knew what was coming. I am fine." She really wasn't, Mom was being hurtful with her words and behavior, but Aunt Pat wasn't budging.

However, Aunt Pat was going to go home while my brother Sean and his family were in town. It would've been too much for my Mom to have everyone there. It was a break for both Aunt Pat and my Mom. Aunt Pat would come back in two weeks for the third cycle of chemo.

Sean, his wife Teal and their two children Liam and Noey flew in from northern California on Saturday June 28, 2014. It is always an adventure when Sean is in town.

Sean and his family would be here for the upcoming July 4th/Birthday celebration and to spend some time with Mom. Time they assumed that would be their last with our Mom. Aunt Pat stayed for the evening to see them.