Two Elephants in a Bathtub

The doctors said Mom couldnt be alone. In June, I resigned from my teaching position, packed some belongings, and headed southwith three kids, two cats, and a dogto St Augustine, Florida, to take care of mom. Mom had been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a respiratory disease, and every breath exhausted her. I thought Mom and I could fight this illness together. I pictured happy days where we would picnic as a family at the beach, tour the town for garage sales, eat at wharf-side restaurants, and spend long nights watching classic television. Instead, Moms illness took hold of our whole family. We began twenty-four-hour care. Mom needed us, and we were vigilant. Our life became emergency-room waits, hospital visits, pharmacy runs, and long nights of asking for Gods help. Two Elephants in a Bathtub is a chronological account of those days. Moms courage enveloped our family. I pass this story along with pride and hope that it will inspire any family with an elderly relative battling against time and terminal illness. This isnt a story about loss. This is a story about love.