Little Debbie Cakes

I visited my Mom tonight, which I do every two weeks.  I always bring her a McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Small Fry, Large Diet, and an apple pie.  She loves it.  Last time I came she had asked me to bring "Little Debbie White Cakes" or Vanilla Cream Cookies.  I wasn't sure what cakes she wanted so I got two kinds.


When I showed her the loot, she said, "Oh that's way too much for me." 
"Well just pick which you want Mom and I'll take the rest home."
"Oh, well, which do you want honey?" She lovingly asked.
"I'll take the vanilla cream cookies." I stated.
"I want those!" she confessed.  I just cracked up. Why did she ask me then?  Silly woman.
"Go ahead Mom, take them.  I got them for you."  She tried to be giving, but the woman always loved cookies the most.  I should have known.


I also got her a new turquoise wallet.  I think it was about $15 which is not expensive for me, but much more than she would spend on a wallet.  She loved it.


"I'm gonna practice opening it and closing it," she adorably said as she just enjoyed handling her new prize.


Then "I'm gonna practice putting it in my purse." and in and out of her purse it went.  It was just so cute.


Finally she said, "This is the prettiest thing I've ever seen, next to you."


This is my Mom. Sweet. Cute.  Appreciative.  Loving.  Just a gem.  And I'm so blessed to just spend time with her.  

Cute stuff Mom says, and the situation today

Mom lives in a nursing home, and has since 1983.  She was only 47 when she moved in there.  But it has provided stability, safety and care for her and I'm not sure she would be around today at age 78 without that good home. 

In the early 1970's, public policy began calling for persons with mental illnesses to be integrated into society rather than living in institutions. Efforts to aid persons in this transition lacked, and over time assistance has fallen far behind the need.  My mom was very fortunate to land in a nursing home compared to what happened to so many others.  Many others ended up on the streets homeless, causing them to get sicker, and have premature deaths and incarceration.  Today about 30% of the people in jails and prisons are sick with mental illnesses, and not getting the appropriate care and treatment they need.  Instead, they are being punished.  Now that is crazy.  But we can do something about it.  Two simple things:

1. Donate to Thresholds, a great organization that gets people off the streets, helps them get treatment, housing, and all they need to live safe and healthy lives.  You can learn more at thresholds.org.

2. If you live in Illinois (or any state really), call your state reps and let them know you are opposed to them cutting funding to help the mentally ill and homeless.  I know we need to fix our budget crisis, but it can not be at the expense of the most sick and vulnerable in our society. 

Now for another cute story about my adorable mom.

I call Mom every week to check in. One week the conversation gave me my usual chuckle.

“Helloooo?” Mom answered.

“Hi Mom, it’s me. How are you?”

“Well not too good. This cranky old man keeps crashing into me with his walker.”

“Oh sorry to hear that Mom.”

“Yeah, his wife brought him in because he was acting goofy.”