Aging Parents

My mum was 18 when she had me. My dad 23. They were young and stupid. That was 42 years ago and growing up I was always very aware of how young my parents were. As I got older it obviously became a blessing because I realized that my parents would likely be around for a long time. Once I got part my teenage years that was a very comforting thought.

But we all continue to age. And now they are older. Mum is 60 and Dad 65. Both have had their challenges with illness over recent years.

Mum is into year three of living with pancreatic cancer. Her body has accommodated two years of chemotherapy quite well. Last blood test showed that her cancer count was higher than it had been but no need for panic yet. She has another follow-up in February so at that point we should know more in terms of this being an uphill trend or whether it was just a blip.

Two years ago, at the same time that Mum was diagnosed, dad was recovering from his first, and almost fatal, colon cancer surgery. Since then he has had a second surgery and was diagnosed with diabetes that also almost killed him. Although he feels well, a few months ago it was noticed that his white blood cell count was elevated. The ruling is back. Leukemia. We will know more about what type at the end of February but the specialist is speculating that he may have another 10 years. If that's the case then he's lived a long life even despite the recent challenges.

What struck with though is that in 10 years I will have no parents left. At some point the cancer will take Mums life. She is doing remarkably well given that this is a particularly nasty cancer but in the end it will win. Dad will follow after her. And even though you know that at some point your parents will die I have actually been given a medical opinion as to when it may happen. I have a more definitive idea, rather than the vague notion that at some point age will get us all. It's an odd sensation and quite frankly I'm still processing it. I found out about dad only last night.