We lost my mother-in-law, Clydie Lou Cote (nee Brown), on Thursday, 10/06/2022. We knew it was coming, but just never dreamed it would be so soon. She fought so many health battles since I've known her the last 12 years - Stage 3 lung cancer, a AAA repair and 2 touch ups on that, COPD, Congestive Heart Failure, Covid, a broken humerus. She battled through everything with all the strength in her being, but unfortunately there's no winning against COPD and CHF.
That woman could work my last nerve and push every button I have, but I loved her deeply. She was my second momma. She moved in with us in January 2012, when Brian was deployed to Kosovo. I credit her for saving me from myself during that deployment, as I had started to sink into a pretty deep depression over Brian being away and my mother living in England. I spent a LOT of time alone in my bedroom, playing on the computer, and just barely functioning. When Clydie moved in with us, I couldn't go to my room and hang out, I had to spend time with her, getting to know her and making her welcome. She really was a blessing to me in so many ways.
We shared a love of the Dark Tower Stephen King book series - she wasn't a big SK fan, but she really enjoyed that series, as well as the Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, and Final Watch (might not be correct title on that last one, but it was the final in that series). I couldn't keep up with her reading speed, and I don't enjoy reading nearly as much as she did, but it was awesome to be able to discuss those books together and then see the movie Dark Tower when it came out a couple years ago. (We loved us some Idris Elba!)
Clydie wouldn't want us to sit around and cry all the time over her. She knew she was loved, and we knew that she loved us. She even loved those who made it hard to love them. She was humble and kind and didn't like to hold grudges. She gave second chances to those who wanted or needed one and would advise others to look beyond the past and see a brighter future. She made me think about a lot of things, and she taught me even more. I'm a better cook than before we met, and I now know how to sew, crochet, garden, and preserve vegetables and homemade spaghetti sauce. I wish I'd gotten her to show me how to change out the zipper in a pair of pants! I guess I'll be looking on YouTube and figuring that one out alone. ðŸ˜
Clydie wasn't perfect, but who is? If you didn't feel like she loved you, I can assure you that she did. And please don't argue with me about it. You have no idea the conversations that she and I had where she confessed her love for people that did her wrong, or upset her, and that she would still love them because that's how she was. She kept her distance from some folks that she loved because of her fear of being hurt again, but the love was there.
