THE DEATH OF A MARRIAGE-4
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The Death of a Marriage-4
BY
JANE RHOE
Sister (The family called her that as if it were her given name) had a stroke three months after Mama passed, leaving her paralyzed on her right side. Every other weekend I traveled back and forth to see her. Traveling back and forth alone was intimidating and anxiety producing at first. What if something happened to the car or to me? We had “Triple A” road-side assistance (AAA). Sometimes there was an hour or more wait depending on how busy AAA was. The thought of being stranded on the roadside was frightening. We had that experience while traveling together, but thank God, I never experienced it alone. I had mentally noted the rest stops or gas stations I thought safe to stop if I needed a break. I felt safe and relaxed while traveling with MFH (My Former Husband); but I bolstered up the courage to get out there solo on those mean highways. For heaven’s sake, that was Sister; my one and only I might add who was like a mother to me. Given the severity of her stroke, I tried to get her to live with us. She refused saying, “She did not want to be a burden.” MFH and I discussed pros and cons such as we both worked an hour away from home, although I could set up home health care. He also said that she would probably be happier at her home because friends could visit her. I asked MFH to request a transfer. I told him that I was going to move to my hometown and help take care of her. Surprisingly, he agreed, taking a demotion. Perhaps he agreed because he knew I was serious about leaving and his demotion was temporary