1 post tagged “mom”

My parents have always been difficult to buy gifts for.  Mom doesn't care for the things that most women usually like.  They both kind of have everything they need.  But this year has been especially challenging.

Both of my parents have cancer.  They have been in "maintenance" mode for a long time so it is usually fairly easy to drive the subject to the back of my mind and not think too much about it.  But a couple of weeks ago they sat me down and had a little talk about how things are going.  The drugs that have been keeping the cancer in check are no longer working and they have run out of things to try.  This will very likely be my last Christmas with them.

It is kind of a strange and bittersweet time.  Tears well up at odd moments (like now).  I am an only child so when they are gone, my family is gone.

So, what do you give someone for Christmas when they are not going to be here in a year?  I am trying to spend as much time with them as possible and give them "experiences".  I am taking some days off so I can take them on some outings over the next few weeks.  My mother loves classical music so I got some very nice symphony tickets.  They are for early March so I hope and pray her health holds out for a couple more months.  My dad was harder, but he enjoys doing things on the computer and loves his 40's music so I got him an iPod and some nice Bose headphones.  No matter what I thought about getting them, it all seems so unimportant.  Hopefully, they will get some pleasure from these things.

What do I want for Christmas...?  One more year.