PLEASE Honor Mom & Nurse Annie Haskett's Incredible Journey

Hi, I am the daughter of whom I consider not only “The Universe's Best Mom” but she was also my best friend! My mom, Annie Haskett, was one of ten children, growing up in Clayton, Alabama. Her father was a great inspiration because he worked a farm and raised 10 children as a single father after his wife died. He also suffered a horrific accident in which he lost both of his hands and had to use hooks to work the farm. Mom took Granddaddy’s same tenacity and applied it to nursing as an RN in Philadelphia. To say that she loved nursing would be an understatement! Mom cherished taking care of people. She said it was her “calling” and it always showed. Once, a little boy refused any assistance from the nurses and wanted only “Nurse Annie”. Mom had already worked a very long shift and she had two small children to take care of as well. After attending to her little ones with dinner and homework, she had it out the door white uniform and hat upon her head. She also did not drive and had to take three buses back to the hospital to assist that little boy. She applied the same nursing skills to me all throughout my life, as I was always in and out of hospitals, including Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children, as it was called back then. Even up until adulthood, when I faced a multitude of surgeries, Mom would fly to Connecticut to take care of me, braving New England weather as she did not like it because she had recently retired as a Floridian and became very spoiled by the year-round sunny weather. Mom also played an instrumental part and my father‘s care when he was diagnosed with kidney disease requiring dialysis several times a week. After my father lost his 20 year battle to this horrible disease my mom subsequently retired to Florida.

When I moved to Florida after becoming disabled, it began an awesome adventure hanging out with my mother and getting to know her even better. At times, you could find us on the porch with a newly adopted kitten, Spiky, who just showed up at our door and became Mom‘s bestie. As mother and daughter, we would have our little spats, basically over silly things that involved just taking care of one another. However, five minutes later, we would forget we were arguing and move on to something more fun.

In the fall, Mom developed breathing problems. After fighting with her to go to the hospital, she was finally convinced, and at that time, she was diagnosed with kidney failure and would be facing dialysis three times a day. As always, Mom handled that news bravely and with strength and courage for a woman who had never really been sick in her life. Once she was admitted into the hospital, her life and health all of a sudden took a drastic turn. She battled a multitude of health issues, including sepsis, pneumonia, and even skin infections. She also had blood clots in her lungs. Unfortunately, Mom even endured alleged abuse by one of the male nurses who seriously hurt her arm.

After the hospital forced us to take Mom to a rehabilitation center, I was very leery of sending her there due to previous abuse and neglect allegations! After I was assured that the place had undergone new management, I tried to rest and realize this by saying she was only gonna be there a few weeks. Not more than two days after pleading with the rehab center to put railings alongside her bed because she always leans heavily and she will eventually fall, the next day I get a call from someone from staff saying Mom indeed fell out of her bed as I predicted! I was told that a doctor examined Mom and she was deemed OK. Fast-forward to the next day on Tuesday. We have staff call me in the morning to say that Mom is being rushed back to the emergency room because she was unresponsive for breakfast! Who knows how long Mom suffered unattended by rehabilitation staff members, but the hospital said Mom now had a traumatic brain injury, subdural hematoma, and had so much blood on her brain it was actually being pushed over! Although doctors at that time wanted me to hold Mom‘s treatment, I told them to give her a chance to fight, and she did. However, once a trachea was inserted in her throat, things went drastically downhill and quickly. Eventually, not only did the trach keep bleeding profusely at times, but so was her brain. After being told by the second doctor who showed any compassion and empathy at the hospital towards Mom and me, in November, I was informed by him that Mom was now suffering and had no chance of rebounding from this event. They call it a miracle of life when you are born into this world, but what shall I call it when the very woman who brought me into this world, now as her child, I am taking her out of this world? Addressing assurances from the doctor that Mom wouldn't suffer when her treatment halted, I told Mom thank you for all the awesome memories and great times, even in bad times, and for being the best mom that God could bless a child with. But I said, Mom, I know you’re tired and it’s OK to go. I’ll be OK. But you are about to embark on an awesome journey, and when you wake up, you’ll be in no more pain, no hospital gowns; you’ll be wearing your Sunday finest, and you’ll see your dad and your mom and your husband and all of your brothers and sisters! With that said, I sat down and held my mother’s hand, and just a few short minutes later, Mom went to eternal sleep! I have to be honest here. I told my mother I was OK with her leaving because I know she was tired, but I lied. I don’t think no matter how old you are, you are still always your mother‘s baby, and I wasn’t ready for my mom to go.

After searching, I realized Mom did not have life insurance. Although she was a great nurse, she did not like talking about death. I’m asking for assistance to help us celebrate my mother’s wonderful life as a caregiver, a nurse for 31 years, and a lifelong mom of two and a grandmother of two… three if you count my fur baby cat Spiky.

I’m asking for donations to help with Mom’s Home-going Celebration, FUNERAL, AND RELATED EXPENSES! TIME IS SHORT AS FUNERAL DRAWS NEAR…Please donate whatever you can, big or small, because every little bit helps. It would be a huge blessing!