My Moms Bad News

Until about two years ago I never really thought about how precious each and every day of life was. People always say live each day to the fullest because you never know when there won’t be a next day. My mother said this to me about a million times over the first fifteen years of my life but, I never really put this piece of wisdom into action. I can remember it as if it happened yesterday, the day that began a change in my mom’s life as well as mine.
It was cold and fogy outside and I had an orthodontist appointment. I can remember having a bad time at school that day and then thinking, “What a way to top off a terrible day by going to the orthodontist so he can give me a headache for the rest of the night.” My mom drove me to my appointment and then to the Burger King right next to school so that I could eat lunch before returning. While we were eating I brought up the subject of what had happened that day that had made it so bad because I tell my mom everything, I mean everything. After I finished telling her my story she said, “You know how I went to the doctor today?” I nodded and she continued, “Well, they told me that I’m going to need a total hysterectomy.” When I heard that sentence come out of her mouth I immediately looked up with a puzzled look on my face. I stared at her for a moment and could see tiny glistening tears well up in her eyes. My mother rarely cries in front of me or anyone else for that matter, so I knew that this news had deeply affected her. At that instant I felt so bad for her and knew that my stupid high school problems were nothing compared to what she was feeling. Then she began explaining to me why she needed the surgery and all of the details that went along with it. I felt like I was letting her down in a way because I couldn’t do anything to help her. All that I could do was be there for her and listen to everything that she was saying.
Six months later she went to the doctor again for a routine check-up that she had to