A person left a stressful reporting job in early 2024 to spend time with an ailing mother, enabling presence during the mother's final months. The mother and child shared a longstanding close bond characterized by daily routines, mutual support, and nurturing responses to anxiety. The mother frequently protected and went beyond typical duties, creating memories like dinners and ice cream to soothe nerves. The reporter's role had been remote and allowed regular visits, even as the mother cycled through hospitals and rehabilitation centers for various health issues. The choice to change employment prioritized family time and caregiving during advanced illness.
While she protected me and took on all the motherly duties you'd expect throughout the years, I felt she often went well beyond what was expected. I fondly recall a time when I was struggling with social anxiety and wanted to skip out on a school event. Instead, she took me out for a special dinner and ice cream to help calm my nerves.
I made one of those choices in early 2024 - deciding to leave my job as a reporter to focus on spending time with my ailing mom. It was that decision that enabled me to spend the last several months of my mom's life with her. My most recent full-time job was pretty much a dream come true - I was a television and digital news reporter, working remotely for a major market which allowed me to still see my parents regularly.
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