"reality" and Reality

While television has recently brought into the world such ghastly things as "reality" t.v. no matter what they produce it still doesn't quite meet up with Life's version of reality.

I got the call yesterday that no sibling ever wishes to receive. My neice called to tell me that my sister Virginia had passed away yesterday morning around 5 a.m. She had had some complications from surgery a couple of weeks ago and had managed to catch pneumonia. This, coupled with emphysema, was more than her poor old lungs could handle. She was on a breathing appuratus of some sort and it was keeping her alive, if you wish to call that living. As it was getting more and more the machine breathing and Ginny just there, the kids finally had to make the decision to pull the plug on the machine. Having been in that position myself in dealing with my mother, I can feel for them. It is not a decision that one takes lightly, I assure you of that!

All three of her kids were present, one reluctantly. He did not want to be there for that, and in some sense I do not blame him. But, all three were there and given the opportunity to say good-bye to their mother in their own way. Thankfully, all the family squabbles had been relieved in the time she was hospitalized and I have no doubt that the good-byes were pleasant and loving. And, tearful.

I am the sixth child of my mother. I am the only one of the six that was born sickly, having been born with bronchitus, a disease that is no big deal these days, but was a very big deal in 1950 when I arrived. How ironic it seems now that I am the only surviving child. I suppose, being the youngest, I should have expected to be the last, but I have to be honest and say the thought never crossed my mind. If Life were perfect, the youngest would always be the last to go. But, Life is not perfect. At least my life has not been perfect, and neither were the lives of my sisters and brothers.

I know that my siblings are all in a much better place, a place free from pain and suffering, which brings me comfort.May they all always rest in peace.

In thinking of my opening thought, I pray "reality" t.v. never tries to actually duplicate reality.

I shall cross-post this to my other blogs and journals. If you are a reader of more than one of my blogs/journals I apologize for the cross-posting. I do hope that you can understand my lack of desire to update these things with anything new and exciting today.