I hate admitting this, but I guess you could call me spoiled. I blame my single, working-class mother for shoving tons of Christmas joy under the tree every year for me and my brother. She's always strived to make my dreams come true.
Unfortunately, things were a little different this year. My mom is a diabetic who has had a pesky foot ulcer that has almost killed her at least twice this year. The day after thanksgiving she ended up in the hospital, and from there, a rehab nursing facility.
I decided to carry on with our traditions, and I played the role of Santa this year. It was stressful, and a bit overwhelming, but I was proud of myself, and so was she. She was expected to be released on Christmas eve. As a result, we planned to proceed with our holiday festivities as we typically would.
On Christmas Eve my mother became septic and slipped into a coma. This has happened before, but this time wasn't looking good. She's the toughest fighter I know, but I'm always afraid of her giving up. When I left her Christmas Eve night I wasn't sure if she'd make it to Christmas day. But i kept reassuring myself that she'd never leave me a Christmas gift like that.
Today, after opening presents, my brother and I proceeded to the hospital. As we walked in the door, I heard my mother yell, "I'm pooping in here", which is something I'm used to her scorning us for. Suddenly, I knew that I had received exactly what I wanted for Christmas. That, and the pair of retro Jordan's I spent hours trying to find.
The point of this blog is not to bring sour Christmas tears. It is to show that I realized this Christmas that my family is the greatest gift I could ever ask for. Every Christmas I'm able to share with them, is a great Christmas. Hope you all got what you asked for this Christmas.
