Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Sleep, Sleep.....Where Art Thou?

I lay in bed last night, tossing and turning and wondering why sleep is eluding me.  I have taken my sleeping pill, gotten up, laid back down, gotten up, taken some Aleve for the headache I am getting, laid back down, tossed and turned some more, etc.  I am totally physically and emotionally exhausted after one of the most challenging days in a long while, yet I cannot sleep.  I spent the entire morning sifting through a year’s worth of paperwork, pulling out bills and proof of payment for my husband’s estate and probate.  Then I had a sobfest with my therapist and a meeting with my attorney.   My attorney had asked for this “proof” only a day earlier and the day before I was to sign the final probate documents; the day before I was supposed to be done.  So instead of being done, I am sifting through paperwork and all the while being reminded that he is gone and flooded with horrible illness memories as I collect all the medical bills, etc.  I cannot help but wonder, again, why his daughter rejected my reasonable offer to settle and be done back in August 2010.  I did not want to have to deal with this additional heartache, but she seems to want more.  The reality is that she will get less, but I would have gladly paid more to avoid this arduous task.  The really sad truth and maybe the reason for my lack of sleep is that my husband failed to take care of me.  I know that he loved me, but here I am still taking care of him and the mess that he left me.  I asked him if he had updated his will and he replied with a “Yes”.  I should have pressed him for proof or a copy, but I did not.  I wanted to believe in him, that he would take care of me.  And of course I wanted to deny that the horrible disease could win and take him away.  In our relationship, I took care of many things, being the caregiver with the big heart, but I also needed to be cared for.  He failed me in the ultimate way.  This reality; the heaviness, the pain swirled around all over my body last night not allowing me to sleep.  And the tears flowed as I felt the pain.  Sometimes, it is so hard to recognize them for who they really were.  It does not change my love for him, yet I have to admit that he hurt me deeply.  A few sheets of paper with appropriate signatures could have brought me the elusive sleep last night.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Good Riddance 2010

My year of firsts is over.  Actually it was officially over Nov 9th 2010, but since I was in such a fog over the holidays last year, I prefer to include the 2010 holidays as well.  My first complete calendar year without my soul mate and love of my life is over and I am actually somewhat stunned that I survived.  The pain, sorrow, and loneliness of 2010 were at times unbearable and many a time I wished I did not survive.  I know many widows struggle with this and I am not alone.  Somehow I will push on.

Mid January, I had a visit to my former BFF’s house and I begged and pleaded for her to be in my life and support me through this most difficult time.  In time I would realize it was to no avail, I received nothing and decided I needed to drop this friendship.  Another loss to deal with.

I remember speaking to Jesse’s daughter, the one he did not raise because her mom and step-daddy dearest did that wonderful job, and informing her that her “Bio Dad” as she referred to him once, did not have a will and she is entitled to half of his estate.  She assured me that I had lost enough and she did not want to take anything more from me.  That all changed when it came time for her to sign and disclaim her share.  She hired an attorney and sent word that she wanted her share and anything else she could get her hands on like his life insurance.  I am still dealing with his estate, probate, and the repercussions of his poor planning.

His brother told me how he was going to be there for me during the first year and would help me emotionally and around my house.  I learned rather quickly this would not be true and he is just all talk like most people.  He specifically told me that he would be there to support me for Jesse’s birthday in April, but when I called to check in with him about it, he had made plans with his girlfriend.  So I went to the cemetery alone and visited with my dead husband all by myself on his birthday.  And while there, I received a text, yes a text, from my former BF about this event.  I could not believe she did not have the courage to pick up the phone and actually call me on this most horrible day.  I think it was then that I decided I did not need a friend like this, I would much rather have enemies.

I wept and cried deeply on Father’s Day as I was sad that he would never have the relationship with his daughter that he so desperately wanted.  In the time that I knew him, he tried in vain to connect with her, but she seemed to want nothing to do with him.  And how could he compete with step-daddy dearest who spoiled her and gave her everything?  I cried for Pops too.  His only grandchild and she would not give him the time of day (his words).

I survived my birthday with the love and support of my sister P.  She has become my new BFF and I can really say that she has been the only blessing in my loss as we have grown closer than ever.
I survived our anniversary with lots of tears and Rod Stewart, just like our wedding day.  I sat on the glider in the spot where we were married and remembered that blissful day and cried and cried that he is gone.  That was one of the saddest days this year by far.

Halloween was tough too.  Jesse loved Halloween and I set out to avoid it and then when I posted support to another widow on a forum I frequent where there are other widows and well spouses, I and another were judged and criticized for how we dealt with this holiday.   I lashed out angrily at the person who was critical and whose husband is still alive and I was suspended from that forum for a week, the week of the first Sadiversary.  I no longer post on that forum as there are too many unfriendlies.

My sister P came up again and supported me through the first Sadiversary.  We went to the Oregon Coast to a little motel where Jesse and I had spent time.  It was nice to be there and to have my sister with me as I got through this tough anniversary.  It was the first time that I felt a shift from the gut-wrenching pain to a little bit of gratitude for the times we had.

Thanksgiving was just another day.  I had one offer to not be alone, which I decided against because that person was acting very needy and I did not have anything to give.  I had dinner with Pops and spent the rest of the day alone, which was preferable than trying to “on” or “there” for others.

And Christmas was tough this year.  I wrote about it already.  See My Second Christmas Without My Love.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

My Second Christmas Without My Love

This is the one I have been dreading.  Last year, his death was only 6 weeks before Christmas and I walked through it in a dazed, numb, fog.  I knew I was going to have to face it this year and there was no way around having to feel his absence.  I had no one and nothing to distract me from the fact that I am here on this special day without the love of my life and all alone.  I hear stories of other widows who have children and family to keep them busy, to shop for, to bake for, to do holiday activities with, to wrap presents for…busy, busy, busy.  I have none of that and the thought of making any holiday sweets just makes me sad also.  Jesse was the one who was right there helping me with the Almond Roca, the cookies, or the pretzel treats.  I could not bear to do any of this alone.  The problem with Christmas and being alone is that you not only have to endure one day of misery, but two because Christmas Eve is just as much a holiday to most people.  The double whammy of widow misery!

Christmas Eve was not too bad and once I actually reached my destination of the home of some new friends the day went rather well.  But the getting there is where the major meltdown occurred.  I am on the highway going towards my friend’s home and I see one of “Jesse’s Trucks”, also known as a truck from Freightliner’s test fleet where Jesse was a manager before he got sick.  These trucks are very recognizable to me as they have nice new sparkly trucks and the dirtiest, ugliest trailers on the road.  I can spot one a mile away, mostly because of the ugly, disgusting trailers.  Their cabs say “Product Validation”, so I always know that I am correct when I see one.  After seeing one, of course I am thinking of Jesse, then I see another, and another.  Oh, great, they are running Hwy 26 today.  Seven trucks later going the opposite direction and I am a sobbing mess.  I am thinking of him and how much I miss him and how much I want him back, how much I don’t want to face this holiday without him, etc.  Luckily my exit is coming up and I can pull off and have good cry not deny my broken heart this opportunity to purge some of the pain.  I continue to cry all the way to my friend’s home, where she greets me with a big hug.  We speak briefly about my meltdown and then I am done; ready to enjoy a nice quiet day with my new friends and their 16 month old son, which I do.

Christmas day was another storey.  I spent the late morning and early afternoon with my elderly FIL and had lunch with him at his assisted living facility.  I then headed to the home of a young person whom I am an adopted aunt to.  I have been spending time with this young person for over ten years and her family adopted me early on because I didn’t have any family here.  When Jesse came into my life, he was adopted too as Uncle Jesse and we spent several Christmas days with this lovely family.  My big mistake was attempting to do something (a tradition), that Jesse and I had previously done together, all by myself.  The mom had invited me and told me that it would just be them and Grandma.  I took that to mean the mom, dad, brother, sister, young person, and grandma.  As I am driving to their home, I again start melting down as I think about previous times and how Jesse was always with me.  I am again back in that place of just wanting him so desperately to come back to me.  I cry most of the way there, thinking about how much I miss him, and how alone I feel.  When I arrive, I see several cars and realize that there is probably more of her family here than I am comfortable with, especially in my current tearful state.  I knock on the door and get no answer.  I can hear jolly, happy, festive people inside and I almost bolt, but I think of my young friend and how much I would like to see her.  So I ring the bell and her dad comes to the door and greets me as I am trying to dry my tears and look somewhat human.  The mom greets me, then my young friend and I am instantly in tears again, feeling the pain of my missing Jesse.  I look around and see some of her extended family who I really don’t know and I tell them that I am going to leave and come back later in the week.  The mom, or course being a mom person, does not accept this and is pushing me to stay.  I tell her I can’t and then my young friend ends up taking me to her bedroom where I cry and she tries to comfort me, etc.  We chat for a little bit and I tell her that I would really be more comfortable coming back later in the week.  She is such a bright, lovely young woman.  She tells me to do what I need to do and not to worry about her mom.  I’m amazed at the maturity of this 18 year old young lady.  We exchanged hugs and “I Love You” and I head out of their house with the mom still trying to get me to stay.  I left and cried all the way home; thinking about my Jesse, how much I missed him, how much I wanted him back, etc.  And I thought about the bottle of wine that is in my fridge.  I needed something to numb the pain and that would do it.  I got home, popped a frozen dinner in the microwave, popped open the bottle of wine and said “Merry Christmas to me!”