The Continuing Sandwich of our Generation

Well, Wifey felt up to joining the land of the living Saturday, and we headed over to Norman and Deb's house for some great food (Norman went outside of his "comfort zone" and made a truly delicious chicken dish) and even better company. We talked and laughed with Norman and his exotic, foreign born wife (she's Canadian) and enjoyed sharing tales of life. Alas, Norman and Deb have 3 aging parents, and somehow Norman and Deb are the primary caretakers... Then yesterday the D2 came over (D2 spent the night on Brickell with D1) and we loaded Wifey into the back of the SUV like a sack of potatoes, took 2/3 of the dogs, and headed up to my in law's house. It was VERY hot, and I soon discovered their ac wasn't working. They didn't even notice, even though their condo was nearly 80 degrees. We shared lunch, and then D1 and I drive up to Weston to drop D2 at her boyfriend's house, giving Wifey some quality time with her parents. Ha! As if! We got a call while we were chatting with Josh's parents, asking where the hell we were??? Wifey had had more than enough. So we fetched her, and headed back home, where D1 left for her place. Wifey was sad at her parents' state, particularly since her mother has become a full time nurse for her declining father. And, they're so stubborn, they refuse andy outside help. As if on cue, to increase the elderly angst, a phone call came in from MY mother's "I've fallen and I can't get up" company. Sure enough, Sunny had fallen and couldn't get up, and the service had called EMTs. In years past, I would have been in the car making my way to my least favorite place, Kings Point, but I simply waited a while and then called. Sure enough, she hadn't really fallen, she said, but had simply gone to the floor and lacked the strength to rise. Wifey likens it to a turtle that gets upended onto its shell. The EMTs were there within 10 minutes, and righted the old tortoise. She was fine, she insisted. She's surely getting more than her money's worth for the small Palm Beach County taxes she pays in these "golden years." Ha. "Golden years." More like fool's gold. So ancient Mom survived another incident. I'll visit her next week -- my co caregiver sister is away for a fortnight, so Mom will have to go without one week. I think all of us in this generation know things don't get easier. On the ride home, I pledged to the Ds that I will NOT become a burden to them. As I thought about it, my in laws, so naive about anything practical, were ALWAYS a burden on Wifey, and my mother, Edith Bunker-like, was a bit of a burden on me since I was 21 and my father died. So they just become more of who they are as they age... Pete Townshend was right...