第10部分(第2/5 页)

I　was　nine；　I　didn’t　understand　why　my　parents　didn’t　have　any　children　of　their　own。　Then　my　father　explained　that　they　had　tried　many　times；　but　they　were　unsuccessful。　Part　of　the　reason　was　that　my　mom　had　diabetes。　Since　I　was　young；　I　didn’t　really　understand　what　that　meant。　As　I　was　growing　up；　I　would　see　my　mom　give　herself　shots　and　wonder　why　she　was　the　only　one　who　had　to　do　that。　All　I　saw　every　day　was　a　strong；　beautiful；　healthy　woman；　who　spent　her　life　helping　people。

When　I　was　thirteen；　everything　changed。

It　started　with　a　tiny　blister　on　my　mom’s　toe。　This　may　seem　like　no　big　deal；　but　she　ended　up　losing　her　toe。　Soon　she　suffered　a　stroke；　and　just　as　she　began　to　recover　from　that；　her　leg　had　to　be　amputated。

This　all　took　place　over　three　years。　The　toll　this　took　on　my　family　was　unbelievable。　My　mom　was　in　and　out　of　five　hospitals；　each　doing　their　best　to　help　her。　Sometimes　she　was　home　for　a　few　months；　but　something　always　seemed　to　go　wrong。　When　the　holidays　came；　my　father；　my　sister　and　I　spent　the　day　in　her　hospital　room。　One　Thanksgiving　we　ate　turkey　there；　and　another　Christmas　we　brought　all　our　presents　to　the　hospital　so　she　could　see　us　open　them。

I　tried　my　hardest　to　make　her　feel　better；　but　nothing　helped。　At　home；　taking　care　of　my　little　sister　became　my　iob；　along　with　cleaning　the　house；　doing　the　laundry　and　cooking　the　meals。　I　thought　it　was　unfair；　and　took　it　out　on　my　father。 I　hated　the　fact　that　all　my　friends　went　out　on　Friday　nights；　while　I　had　to　stay　home　and　play　“Mommy”。

It　was　even　harder　for　me　to　go　to　school　while　my　mom　was　lying　in　the　hospital。　By　now；　I　was　sixteen。　Luckily　she　was　there　for　my　birthday　party；　and　I’ll　never　forget　hugging　her　as　tears　f