My mother was hospitalized last week and diagnosed with congestive heart failure, emphysema and cirrhosis of the liver. I haven't spoken to my family in a few months so none of them knew how to get ahold of me. I didn't find out that she was in the hospital until yesterday. I visited her and she seemed pretty alert. She's looking forward to going home. My mother is overweight and she has been a very heavy smoker and alcoholic for most of her life. Her and I have never gotten along and I have done so many hurtful things to her in the past. Now I'm scared that I will never have a chance to make up for those things :-(

Now is your chance. Your mother could well live several years with these diagnosis. I imagine she will be on Oxygen at home, but with medication and a bit of support, she might be able to hold off the inevitable for a long time. Do you want to repair your relationship?

You dont have to address each thing seperatly, just look her in the eye, put you hand on hers and tell her that no matter what you each said or did to each other over the years, that you always loved her and always would.....my mom passed feb 06, we didnt always get along, we both said things, thats the way I handled it b efore she passed, she wasnt able to talk, so I did the talking and , I saw no need to rehash seperate hurts....we didnt need that.