A moment with Auntie Fern

I am troubled because Auntie Fern has been failing the past couple of weeks. How does one deal with the health of a woman preparing to celebrate her 100 birthday? The situation has given me good reason to spend more time with her and try to help her regain some strength.

Funny how things happen. I try to help her - and instead she helps me -- to smile and to laugh.

For instance, on Monday she was so ill that I called the clinic for advice. The nurse found a Tuesday afternoon cancellation and Fern agreed to see her doctor. He needed to know how weak she had become.

When I arrived to pick her up, she confessed that she had not had the energy to shower.

"I can help you do that anytime," I offered.

“That's alright,” Fern smiled and tried to focus on my face. She is legally blind in her only eye, having lost the other eye some years back to an infection.

Then she seemed amused by something.

She chuckled, “I did the PTA this morning, so I’m good to go.”

I thought 'what the heck is the PTA' and then raised my voice so she could hear my query. (She seems to have gone nearly deaf in the past few months, too.)

“Oh?” She seemed surprised that I wasn’t party to the information she was about to share.

“That’s when you are only able to wash your Pits, Tits, and A-double-s.”

(Then she blamed her late sister Jennie, our gram, for teaching her such nonsense.)

We laughed and laughed!

She surprised me when she summoned the strength to hold my arm and walk to the car. No wheelchair for Auntie Fern.

Comments

Jenni said…
What a woman! I hope I make it to 100 and can still walk where I need to go, and I hope I have a great sense of humor still just like Auntie Fern.
Shelby said…
Oh you KNOW what I'm gonna do with this post! I LOVE it. Absolutely love it.
I love your Auntie Fern!
Anonymous said…
Haha! I love her.
Anonymous said…
Thats great. She still has a sense of humour. I wish my aunt had that. She only likes to bitch about everything.....
Anonymous said…
My grandma (bless her soul) was PTA fan for most of her 90's.

Lount Aunt Fern's sense of humor.
Jill said…
what a tough old bird...sheesh!
Desert Songbird said…
She's still a crack up.
Hilary said…
I clicked on your link because I loved the comment you left at Carmi's blog. Now I also love your header photo and your dear Aunt Fern. Thanks adding a few smiles to my day. :)
Anonymous said…
Is that called an "acronym?" I think there must be a better word for PTA...maybe an Aunt Ferism.

Too cute. How is she feeling today?
MarmiteToasty said…
Oh so precious..... what an inspirational lady Fern is.... make the very most of your time with her....

x
Gattina said…
Wonderful ! this woman is an example to all of us !
Anonymous said…
I've known about PTA's for many a year.

I love your Aunt Fern, Pam. She's amazing!
Junebug said…
What a great sense of humor! I never heard of PTA either. That is pretty cool for someone 100 years old to explain to you. Hee hee.
C... said…
How funny! reminds me of a co-worker who exclaimed recently that sex was different in Spanish. I was shocked but then realized she mean the masculinity and femininity of nouns in Spanish. I was thinking I speak Spanish and I don't recall sex being that different. ;)
Susie said…
Sorry to hear of your Aunt Fern's health decline. Loved the "PTA"
to think that all these years I thought it meant Parent Teacher Association :)
LOL, she is a wise woman! I have Aunts just like that, so they clued me into PTA a long time ago:)
Amanda said…
THAT'S AWESOME.
Karen said…
How funny! My grandmother lived just shy of her 102nd birthday. I feel so lucky to have had her in my life.
darkfoam said…
what a sense of humor! .. :)
and just think ..
when you are almost 100 you can pass that information on to another generation yourself ..
Carla said…
I'm sure it's her humour that has gotten her this far. That's fantastic.
Unknown said…
Your Auntie Fern is quite a woman! And I had heard of PTA before, maybe that was my Great-Aunt Margie's fault. :)
Hayden said…
wonderful, and what a lesson in perspective and resilience! Humor is so key...
Anonymous said…
That's wonderful; I will have to remember that when I am her age. She is a wonderful lady we can all learn from.
A Spot of T said…
I don't even know her but I love her already. Too funny!
Anonymous said…
Ahh isn't she sweet!! that is the cutest saying I have ever heard!!

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