Over the past two years, Della had only been hospitalized one other time. She was pretty good at notifying her doctor before things got so bad that she had to go to the hospital. Della started needing more support when she walked. Her cane was put away and replaced with a walker. If she had to walk long distances, she needed a wheelchair. Halfway through the year, Della began slowing down. Once in a while, she'd still go out with her daughters, but they usually went to her now. She didn't get up and dance anymore, and she hardly drank. Della also started needing oxygen more. Paul was going over some bills when his wife walked over to him. "I need to ask you something and I'm not sure you're going to like it."
Paul put everything aside, "what is it?"
"I'd like to start staying with my mom at night. I just worry about her having to get up in the middle of the night. If I'm already there, she won't have to worry about waking me up in time."
"You thought I wouldn't like that?"
"Well, I don't remember the last time we slept in separate bedrooms."
"Maureen, you need to do what you think is best. If you need to stay with your mother at night, then stay with her. I won't mind. I think it's a great idea. Just come and get me if you need me for anything."
Maureen stood and kissed her husband, "I love you so much."
"Not as much as I love you."
That night, Maureen went to bed with her mother. Della didn't ask any questions. Truth be told, she was relieved that Maureen was staying with her now. After they'd finished getting ready for bed, Maureen placed a hand on her mother's back as they walked over to the bed. She helped Della turn around and sit on the bed. Maureen helped her mother to lift her legs onto the bed and sit up against the headboard. She gave her mother her medication and her breathing treatment before helping her to lie down. Maureen started to walk over to the other side of the bed when Della stopped her, "Maureen."
"Yeah?"
"I need my oxygen tonight."
"Oh, sorry," Maureen said as she walked back.
"It's okay," Della said, "I just need to sleep with it here and there."
Maureen turned the oxygen on and placed the canal on her mother. Della thanked her daughter and the woman got into bed. "Remember, wake me up if you need anything."
"I will," Della said, "thank you, sweetheart."
"Anytime, mom."
Maureen kept staying with her mother at night. Everything was becoming emotionally overwhelming for her. Maureen knew what was coming and she wasn't ready. Peggy had bought her sister a day at the spa to take a break. This was hard on everyone, but Maureen spent more time with Della. She also still had a bit of guilt. Peggy told her sister to not come home until after dinner. "Mom, what would you like for dinner?" Peggy asked.
"Anything's fine," Della said. "Thank you for doing that for Maureen."
"Of course," Peggy said, "she's my sister. I'd do anything for her."
It made Della feel better to know that her children would be there for each other even after she was gone. Peggy finished dinner and then went to help her mother up. It took Della a couple of tries to get on her feet. Once dinner was over, Della stayed at the table until Peggy was done cleaning up. Peggy helped her back to the couch and sat with her until Maureen and Paul got home.
Thanksgiving and Christmas were bittersweet this year. Everyone had a feeling it would be the last year they had Della with them for the holidays. Della kept a smile on her face and always kept things fun. She had great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren who were quite young and she didn't want to upset or scare them. Truth be told, she knew that she was running out of time. While she deeply missed her husband, she wasn't ready to leave the others. She probably would never be ready.
