Habit (33 page)

To our supporters during the crisis: friends, family, clergy, doctors, nurses, therapists, health care administrators, and to those overworked, undercompensated aides and caregivers who show gentle consideration to elderly people in need.

To Michael von Moschzisker, greatly missed, who taught us to believe in the Golden Rule
and
the federal government, and had a disarming way with words.

To the rest of the family tree—those we know now, and those who came before—particularly Ma's cherished brother, Sidney, and her four captivating sisters, Virginia, Rebecca, Priscilla, and Barbara, all sadly no longer with us, each of them every bit as exceptional as our mother.

To Ma: you are loved. You are
Special
.

To Eliza, Ben, and Sam: Thank you for keeping me laughing, and for not freaking out. If any one of you ever writes a book about me, fine. Don't forget there's plenty of embarrassing stuff I could have included in mine and did not.

To my husband, David: For your steadfast patience, faith, generosity, and insight. For insisting I find each chapter's heart, and for always cooking dinner. (I was just kidding about David Sedaris; Ellen can have him. I'm pretty sure you are a better cook than he is anyway.)

All paintings and sculptures reproduced throughout the book are by Marjorie von Moschzisker

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this book onscreen or on paper. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

Copyright © 2011 by Susan Morse

Cover design by Jim Tierney

Interior design by Danielle Young

ISBN: 978-1-4532-1971-3

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Many names of people, places, facilities, and churches have been changed. Some family members who were involved in our story have not been included at their request, and out of respect for their privacy.

Questions regarding long-term care planning and medical insurance options should be addressed to the competent members of those professional areas. I see through my own narrow lens.

Published in 2011 by Open Road Integrated Media

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