With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
This is my Mom on her 87th Birthday, June 7th! She continues to be a walking miracle. Let me explain.
My Mom was the 14th child in an immigrant family. She was the only one of the 14 that was born in a hospital. Living on a shoestring, and often government assistance, only ten of the 14 children survived. Now, she alone is left from her siblings. My grandfather and grandmother migrated from Austria Hungary before Lenin moved in on the country. I never knew my grandfather to ask, but, I believe he could see ‘the handwriting on the wall!’ Bad days were ahead for Eastern Europe, as history would prove.
There was no emphasis on education for my Mom and she quit school in the 10th grade and began working in a blouse factory. That was when we had factories here, and you could make good money if you were fast and accurate. She was! She was petite-still is. As a result her boss often had her model the new designer dresses at a fashion show!
After a few years she met and married my Dad. They moved to Bridgeport Connecticut for better jobs. My Dad worked at Sikorsky Aircraft, Mom worked in a factory. At that time, early 50’s, factories were everywhere, made everything, and jobs were plentiful. A year later, she found out she was pregnant with me. Life was good! When I was born I was the first Martin grandchild. I was spoiled! But enough about me, my Mom was amazing. She sewed beautiful clothes for me and kept me ‘spit-spot’ as much as she could. I liked to get dirty!
Soon my adorable brother Steve came along. My Dad would say he had a ‘million dollar family. We were a happy bunch, but, my Russian Baba in Scranton was struggling to live alone after her husband died, and last child got married and left the family home. My Mom said it was time to go back and help her.
The stress of everyday life and a lower paying job took a toll on my Dad. He began drinking, until one day when I was about 12 he was in a terrible car accident. He had many injuries, including much brain damage. Two years later, at the age of 35, my Mom was a widow with 2 children to raise alone.
After 3 years she married a man she met through relatives. Lloyd was a good man and took good care of my Mom. He and his 3 children moved in with us. With no counseling for blended families, we had to navigate those waters on our own! Sometimes we swam, sometimes we sank!
One day in a very bad winter roads were treacherous, and my Mom experienced what we now know was a subarachnoid hemorrhage. She was rushed to the hospital. We were told she had a 50/50 chance to survive the night. She later had a stroke that left her one side weak. Two months later she returned home, eventually returned to work, and virtually all of her abilities returned. Of course this came after much prayer for her, and much praise to God for His goodness!
Not too many years later she experienced a heart problem. A valve was replaced, she recovered completely.
She was complaining about her leg repeatedly. After being seen by the dr. we thought would handle this problem, he said. “This is not a leg problem, Donna, it is a heart issue. No blood is going to that leg.” A heart Dr. confirmed it and a ‘triple A bypass’ was done on my Mom. Dr. said this is the most difficult surgery that can be done. Praise God, she recovered 100%, another miracle.
One time she was prepped for a minor hernia repair operation. The Dr. quickly returned after seemingly just taking her in for surgery. My step-dad and I thought , ‘Oh, no something went wrong.’ We were wrong! God apparently healed the hernia and no surgery was needed. Hallelujah!
Years later my step-dad developed Parkinson’s Disease, then dementia. She cared for him until he passed. She was widowed-again.
She is a conqueror of many other issues I have not even talked about. She quit smoking, and drinking , She raised a grandchild, she went through children divorcing, death of a daughter-in-law, death of her oldest step-daughter, the death of every one of her siblings, and their spouses, and the list goes on.
So, now a new thing in her life. Her heart rate was at 29 when I took her for an EKG. The Dr walked her right over to the ER and yet another Dr talked to her about having a pacemaker put in the next day! She had it done with no complications of any kind! The piece of equipment that monitors her heart rate looks like a ‘smart phone’, so she has been nick named ‘smart Baba’.
She looked brain damage, heart failure, brain hemorrhage, kidney problem, stroke, cigarette addiction, widowhood, and now a pacemaker and said, “by God’s Grace, I will live and not die.”
Mom, this is my tribute to you on this your 87th year, I pray for God’s continued blessings and sustained care. I love you with all my heart, and pray I can face life with the same Faith and Courage!
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