Mary Campisi
Mary Campisi
Mary Campisi

Trenches, Teenagers, and Older Parents

Trenches, Teenagers, and Older Parents 3
I wrote NOT YOUR EVERYDAY HOUSEWIFE from the trenches. If you’ve been there, you’ll know what I’m talking about….does the word teenager make you shudder? My husband and I blended our families, his two, my three. At one point, we had four teenagers in the house. Four of them were girls. Can you say estrogen? There were a few years with three in college at the same time. My husband could give lessons on filling out FAFSA forms. With the blended family, came the exes. Some play nice, some are like my ex-husband. Ahem. Enough said.
Mix in the visit from my mother where she tripped over her suitcase and fell into the door—the night before she was heading to California to stay with my brothers. I drove her to the ER at 3:00 a.m. where the doctor loaded her up with pain meds and said she’d broken her humerus. She spent the next month sleeping on the recliner in our living room with me on the couch. Two months later, after several trips to the physical therapist, my oldest brother flew in to escort her to California. Suitcases are now prohibited in her room.
The night my mother fell into the door was also the night my middle daughter suffered a high fever and night sweats which resulted in a doctor visit the next morning, a pneumonia diagnosis and admission to the hospital. I spent the next four days between my mother in her recliner and my sixteen year old in a hospital bed. Despite my lack of sleep and horrible stress, I did not once suffer the migraines which plague me when I sleep too little and stress too much. God was indeed watching over me.
Somewhere along the way, I wondered if I could disappear for a little while. Maybe come back in a day? Two? Even after dinner? I’d even fix dinner first. That’s when I got the idea for NOT YOUR EVERYDAY HOUSEWIFE. Life happens. I didn’t run away, instead I ran into the book and wrote it for every woman who will read it and think of her own stories.
By the way, the kids are grown, four out of college, self-supporting, and truly a pleasure. The last one is slowly making her way through college. She’s still a work in progress…maybe to get me all geared up in case I need to write a sequel! As for my mom, she’s visiting soon which means a few weeks of great cooking, baking, and reminiscing! And all I have to do is keep her upright…
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

4 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
A. Lupine
A. Lupine
11 years ago

I can definitely relate to this story. I feel like I could be Tula Rae

A, wolf

marycamp
marycamp
11 years ago
Reply to  A. Lupine

Tula Rae is a person of great wisdom who loves life and lives according to her own rules. And she’s definitely not afraid to say it like she sees it! Glad you can relate!

Ger Cummins
Ger Cummins
9 years ago

Loved this blog- it’s so true, dealing with teenagers and elderly parents while feeling like the squeezed middle. Nowadays I tend my grand daughter to help my daughter when she works three days a week and also help to care for my mother in law who has dementia as she is almost ninety – a trip in the car with her and my five year old grand daughter is like a comedy show as Granny repeats herself by asking the same questions over and over again while my grand daughter try’s to explain to her that she already asked that… Read more »

Mary Campisi
Mary Campisi
9 years ago
Reply to  Ger Cummins

Hi Ger: Thank you very much for sharing your touching story. I can absolutely picture the car ride and the conversations. Your granddaughter will remember these “talks” in years to come, and I think she will recall them with compassion and tenderness. When I was 13, my grandmother came to live with us after my aunt died. Grandma was 82, and spoke mostly Italian…(unless you count the made-up English/Italian words she used!) I helped get Grandma dressed, combed her long hair and put it in a bun, slept with her when she could no longer climb the stairs…listened to her… Read more »

Where to Buy

  • Buy from Apple Books
  • Buy from Amazon
  • Buy from Barnes & Noble
  • Buy from Google Play
  • Buy from Kobo
  • Buy from Audible
Your Cart