On having the support they’d needed, in taking care of their, aging parents, from the Newspapers, translated…
Many years ago, I’d had this conversation with my mother.
Mother: Zhenwen, I don’t want to be placed in a nursing home when I’m old.
I: Mom, so long as I’m still around, you won’t, be.
This was a promise I’d made to mom, and I’d, made good on it.
Over a decade ago, both my parents are, elderly, and because of how they were against having a foreign caretaker, and so, I’d had to prepare their meals before I go off to work, and after I got off from work. Until I’d, fallen ill, that’s when I’d, finally, hired a foreign nurse to help, my friend told me what my father said, “our child is ill, what will, happen to us?”, my heart ached as I’d heard.
Although we have a hired nurse now, the rest of the items, big AND small, I’d still had to manage myself, my older brother and sister-in-law had long, given up the duties of caring for our, aging parents, and, with my husband’s, “go ahead, just take care of them!”, it’d become, my source of support, and I’d, put everything in, to care for our elderly parents with my two, younger brothers.
My younger brother lives with my parents, looked after them, my youngest brother would come home for the regular visits from Taipei, and when there’s a shortage of money, he’d taken care of it, and, when something surfaced, the three of us would discuss, the daily nitty gritty, I took care of, and I’d still, felt pressured, but to keep my parents at ease, I’d, gladly, taken on the burdens.
I’d often told my younger brothers, no matter what others do, we just, do what we do, and what’s comforting, was both our parents had, passed away at home, peacefully. Our parents are both gone now, and I’d, felt, something missing, but no regrets, I’m more than grateful for the foreign hired nurses to help take care of my parents, and even more grateful toward my husband, after I’d married him, he’d, stayed close by my side, helping me to look after my parents, not abandoning me, “thanks honey, you’d, made it possible, for me, to fulfill my filial piety responsibilities toward my parents.”
And so, this still showed, how important it is, to have your families’ support in taking care of your elderly parents, like this woman, although her older brothers didn’t do a thing to help out, she had her younger brothers’ help, and that, is important, to have the support of one’s siblings in caring for our elderly parents, and her husband was, more than, supportive of her too, so that’s, also, a good thing!
Life, the Obstacle Course 