Epilogue

 

Following her accident and her very difficult and incomplete road towards recovery, Maria became permanently bedridden and her health and attitude deteriorated slowly. To cope with the permanent pain Maria consumed excessive alcohol, pain killers, ate less, became undernourished,  depressed and gradually  began to loose contact with life around her including her friends, family and even Zyg. In 1976 she died in bed at her home in Huntingdale at the age of 69. Maria could take no more. She took her own life the day before she would have been transferred to Kingston rehab hospital.

Zyg survived the passing of the woman that loved him but gradually turned to alcohol. His health deteriorated and after a few years he moved into the Kingston retirement hostel in Cheltenham, only a few kilometres from his home in Huntingdale. Here he stopped drinking and his health improved and he lived quite happily for about 7 years, with his two sons, George and Roman, visiting him.  Zyg died peacefully in 1996.

George continued in his successful career as an Engineer and computer specialist with the Electricity Commission and he and Adrienne raised two children, Anna and Michael. George retired in 1996 and became a private computer consultant; Adrienne continued to work as a Cytologist. Their children, Anna and Michael, have travelled the world and settled in Melbourne. George and Adrienne continue to live in Glen Waverley, where they have been since 1982.

For myself, let me say that having never known that Maria had written this book until I read it for the first time recently, has left me deeply moved at her life and sacrifices for her children and her love for her husband, my father, Zyg.

I am now 63 years old and am grateful that my Mother, Maria, lived long enough to see that I, the son who had led a troubled life and for whom she worried about, finally settled down, became respectable and responsible and has long led a fulfilling life with my wife Vivienne. Our three daughters Vicki, Leeanne and Shelly have long been married and have children of their own and our son Lucas, single at 32 years of age, presently lives in Sydney. Vivienne and I still live in Cranbourne, 45km SE of Melbourne, where we have been since 1988 and continue to enjoy a comfortable fulfilling lifestyle. We travel a lot.
Thanks Mum!
Thanks Zyg!

Roman Skarbek – 2006. Cranbourne Victoria.