Same name, different life status

For as long as I can remember, the first thing my mom has done every morning is check the obituaries "to see who is no longer with us." Forty years ago this was somewhat morbid, but as the decades wore on it became a more sensible thing to do, as more and more of her friends, co-workers, and classmates passed away.

A second reason she always gave was that she looking to see if her own name was in the obituaries. But all this watching and waiting finally paid off. A few weeks ago, my mom discovered her own name in the obituaries.

Well, almost her own name.

The deceased had a different middle name, was a year older than my mom, and lived in a different part of the area. It was a heck of a coincidence, and we got a few laughs out of it, but we didn't think of it  much beyond that.

Today my brother pointed out that my mom's longtime dentist had posted to the memorial page.

Heartfelt condolences to the entire family on the loss of Eleanor. She was quite the gal and kept me on my toes for many years. God rest her soul. Sincerely Dr Len M_____

Posted by: A friend   Aug 20, 2018

So, this is...disconcerting. I actually just met this dentist for the first time about a month ago while taking my mom to an appointment with another doctor. My mom keeps in touch with many of her friends over the phone, and makes weekly social appearances in church. But there are still other friends who don't speak to her on the phone or see her in church. How can we let them know she's still alive? I'm not sure. I located Dr. M____ on Facebook and sent him a message letting him know - though since we are not Facebook friends, I have reason to believe Facebook may keep him from seeing these.

So I'll just put it out here: as of this writing, my mom is still alive. Thank you for your concern!