When Jack was in the hospital for his transplant 11+ years ago, there wasn’t much consistency to our days. We would wake up every morning with no idea what the day would bring. Waiting for blood counts, blood transfusions, good news and bad news would trade places several times a day. There was only one thing we could count on — at some point during the day, we would see Mymom.

She would ride her fold-up bike to Washington Heights from her Upper East Side apartment, climb off the bike, flash her visitor’s badge at the front desk of the hospital and head for the elevators. By the time she would reach room 505 there would be no hint that she had just ridden her bike up the gritty city streets in the summer heat.         

Mymom is a woman who you will never see with a hair out of place. Whether she’s sporting her Upper East Side style or Santa Fe hippie chick, she pulls it off. She’s a beauty. Always has been, but the word elegant is a better description of who she is. I look a little like her, but I will never hold myself the way she does. She also happens to be brilliant – a Phd holding, Red Cross working, dynamo with boundless energy. My mother doesn’t ever do anything half-way – even those hospital visits 11+ years ago.

I’m not sure I ever really thanked Mymom for her daily visits while Jack was in the hospital, but this week I got a chance to start to repay the favor. Mymom got a shoulder replacement week. You read that right — it’s the month of shoulders in our family — first Dan, then our Aunt Kathy and now Mymom.

After a couple of years of fighting her shoulder, Mymom finally gave in and scheduled the surgery. Her biggest worries were that she would need to cancel her Christmas Eve party and what clothes she’d be able to wear. My biggest worries were about Mymom slowing down enough to let her body heal and if I could talk her into binge watching Bravo so we could discuss Dirty John (it’s so gooooooood). I also worried about how I could help as much as she helped us all those years ago.

There really wasn’t much I could do, but be there this week. I went back and forth, providing a little distraction and I wasn’t the only person eager to hang with Mymom. Of corse Nonno has been at her side every step of the way and both of my brothers, my beautiful niece and our cousin spent time in her room sharing gossip and telling stories. It ended up being an unexpected family reunion.

As I left the hospital yesterday, Mymom commented that it’s been such fun having the family together. I looked at her in her hospital bed wearing nothing but a hospital gown and a hint of lipstick left from her attempt to “clean up before her visitors arrived”. I thought, wow — the power of family.

I’m hoping that the next time we all get together Mymom is able to enjoy it while wearing her ultra chic clothes and not a sling.

Love, Jess

Mymom is heading home today and Anna and I are going for a visit tomorrow and meeting up with Kate and Baby Carlos – THAT will make everyone feel great!