MUM STORIES: My mother's laughter is music to my ears

Grace Mugo and her mother Cate Mugo. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Towards the end of 2016, my dear mother was unwell.
  • The year 2017 was truly a tough one as we watched her go through her treatment.
  • I was angry at God for letting this happen.
  • But this year, she is back to herself.
  • Please follow the Twitter hashtag for more stories like this.

‘My mother…she is beautiful, softened at the edges and tempered with a spine of steel. I want to grow old and be like her.’ ~ Jodi Picoult.

Resilience is one of the virtues that make my mother Cate who she is—the epitome of love and grace.

I had never seen her sick, except for the occasional sneeze due to exposure to dust or the cold morning breeze.

Towards the end of 2016, my dear mother was unwell. Never had I thought that this would affect us too.

She was due to retire from one of the banks in Kenya in February the next year (on her birthday). So, the illness came both as a shock and a disappointment, as she wanted to end her service on a good note and not with sick leaves.

I am grateful to her immediate boss who was very understanding and would often give her more days off because the treatment was slowly draining her energy.

ILL HEALTH AND RECOVERY

The year 2017 was truly a tough one.

I was at my wits end watching her go through her treatment.

I was first angry at God for letting this happen, and then I was angry at my mum for assuring us that everything would be alright even as we saw her dark sunken eyes.

There is one particular evening that I saw her lying on the couch motionless, and I panicked. I slowly lifted her warm blanket (she loves it very much) and waited to see her breathe. Those two or so seconds were the longest in my life. I only breathed a sigh of relief once I knew that she was okay, even though her breathing was slow.

Fast forward to 2018; her appetite is back with a bang (she suddenly loves cake and nyama choma) and her joyful laughter fills the house.

I thank God for this woman – my heroine and our wonder woman. Even though she is the traditional type, I always sneak in hugs and kisses, especially during sentimental occasions. I cannot wait for her to walk me down the aisle when the time comes.

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