Where the heck have I been?

I was AWOL for a bit as I dealt with an unexpected health problem of my mother's. She's 82, and that makes every health hick-up a bit scary, at least for me. The good news is that after many tests, the doctors have proclaimed that a bit of medication will solve the problem, and that all will be well -- at least for the time being. Among the biggest issues that still have to be resolved, though, is whether she will be able to drive again.

All of this leaves me to ponder what my own old age will be like, and to think about how my life might change if I have to become my Mom's full-time chauffeur. Worst of all, I find myself thinking about how I'm going to feel when she dies because that day is surely coming.

My mother is mentally sharp and generally fit, but this issue of aging parents is one that all of us must face, particularly us fiftysomethings. Frankly, I don't feel like facing it. I feel like throwing a tantrum. I want to be the kid again! Damn.