My MIL wasn't able to hold on until Thanksgiving. [View all]

She passed peacefully on the 25th. The music therapy team from hospice were playing “Pink Skies” for her when she passed. My husband and I made it down to FL in time to sit with her several days before and as she passed.

My 20-something niece and her wife had been caring for her since she came home from rehab in October after a stroke in July. They’ve been absolute rock stars in my opinion. We were there for them as well, otherwise they would have been alone. My SiL (niece’s mom) refused to come see her mom because SIL was on the outs with her youngest son who was visiting to say his goodbyes. She had also refused any texts the day before with health updates and she refused to join the family that stayed for Thanksgiving. I threw myself into pulling together a turkey dinner with stuffing, sides and a few pies for my husbands family. SIL ate take-out Chinese with her hubby. Apparently she doesn’t do Thanksgiving since it is a pagan holiday. Now I’m throwing myself into planning the post funeral reception with my niece and have been working with my daughter scanning family recipes and photos.

A death in the family can definitely bring out the best or the worst in people. I can’t get over the fact that my MiL was laying in bed slowly passing while her brother visited and was going through the house trying to claim stuff. He was told he was not mentioned in the will but after the estate was settled, the rest of the family could claim what they wanted. Before we got down there, my SiL had opened the safe and he took some papers. Don’t know everything he took, but he did take a deed from William Penn that was an original for land granted to the family. He said he would take it and make photocopies for all the kids and grandkids. I don’t anticipate seeing it ever again. There are other things missing as well.

This has been a really rough year.