Jared and Jon-Daniel taking Vic for a walk during one of her hospital visits 28.8.2011
It is Monday the 3rd of September 2012. Vic had a horrible night and looked absolutely terrible this morning. Jared’s kidney hurt like hell and I got an appointment for him to see the urologist at 13:00. Vic wanted to go with but Jared held her little body in his arms and said: “Mommy please stay in bed. Oumie will take me to the doctor. I promise I will phone you if I am scared or need you.” Vic sobbed uncontrollably. “Please Mommy, you are just going to be more sore and sick if you go with now…” Jared and Jon-Daniel are strong and terribly protective of their Mommy. It stresses and scares them when Vic tries to do too much. The boys are continually stressing that Vic, in her endeavours to mother, overdoes things and then pays the price. They feel guilty…they assume responsibility for Vicky’s actions. “Mom picked me up from school and is now very tired….” ” Mom came to watch me play cricket and is now sick in bed for a week again…” ” Mom broke another vertebra taking me to school…. “ Whilst friends and family “ooh and aahh” about how mature and responsible the boys are, their lives are lonely lives. They are missing out on their own childhood experiences. Most of the children in Jared’s class are having “Sweet Sixteen” parties. Jared is invited but chooses to stay home. He says it is because the kids smoke and drink… But I know he does not want to leave his mother. Until earlier this year, when Vic spoke to the boys, there were whispered secrets, secret tears when we thought they were not looking and false bravado when they were looking. You see, although we know death is inevitable, the timing is uncertain. It is like running a marathon without knowing any details about the timing or the course. The boys also experience guilt because they too pray that Vic’s suffering will end. Yet Vic struggles with dying. It is impossibly painful to leave her sons. To let go….. To allow them to be grand-mothered…. So, today I again, experienced the unbelievable selflessness of a parentified child when Jared said “Please Mommy, you are just going to be more sore and sick if you go with now…” https://tersiaburger.com/2012/06/30/a-mothers-love-for-her-sons/ Tomorrow morning Jared will return to the operating theatre for the 3rd time since the 27th of June 2012. The sonars show at least two more kidney stones. Obviously last week’s lithotripsy, or shock wave therapy (EWSL), (to break the stone up into smaller fragments to allow those small pieces to pass more easily into the bladder), was not the solution. The urologist will perform ureteroscopy. Instruments are threaded into the ureter that will allow the urologist to place a stent (a thin hollow tube) through the urethra, past the bladder, and into the ureter to bypass the obstructing stone. This stent will be left for two weeks when Jared will once again go back to theater and the urologist will use instruments to “grab the stone” and remove it. Tomorrow morning Jon-Daniel will go to school – fearful for both his mother and brother. He will bravely write a maths test and excel at it. Success and high marks are his coping mechanism. How unfair is life.
Vic's Final Journey 
I admire what you are doing for Vic and everyone that loves her with the blog. The journal you keep is extremely moving and loving. I hope it reaches people who have forgotten how truly precious family as well as life are. You are right, so right Life is so unfair, and why does it seem to always happen to the ones who seem to appreciate all they have in their life? I have never understood that concept, of why this is. I can not begin imagine how hard it must be and has been for your entire family, My Heart and Prayers to you all.
LikeLike
It sure is a tough situation, but it is beautiful to see how each one, despite their pain is there for the other. Isn’t that what life’s all about? Traumatic though it is for the moment, it is pain that sculpts the person we shape into and strengthens us…..it is certainly true in my case. Thanks so much for sharing. Vic and the family will be in our prayers,
Maya, India
LikeLike
Thank you Maya!
LikeLike
Sending you so many good thoughts and wishes. Jon-Daniel and I have the same coping mechanisms. It’s wonderful that they all have someone like you looking out for their interests. Stay strong. <3
LikeLike