Only My Family (Priceless Hilarity to Follow)
First off, my Aunt Debbie is now in the hospital with low oxygen in her blood. They are running tests tomorrow.
Now the story...
So, around 5:40, I'm talking to my mom on the phone when my mom's cousin, Madge, calls through. My mom and I hang up so that she can talk to Madge. Twenty minutes later, my mom comes home and tells me the news. As Madge said, "We lost her." Madge didn't want my grandma (Aunt Margaret's last sister) to know until tomorrow, but my mom said it would be easier to get everyone together to tell her in person tonight.
About two hours later (give or take), I'm at my grandma's with my mom, Lynn and Marion (two of her sisters...Debbie is the third), Tom (Marion's husband), Katie (Marion's daughter), Dave (Debbie's husband), and Steven (Debbie's son). We go inside and break the news to my grandma, so held herself together very well, considering the shock of losing a sister and a nephew in the same week and two sisters in the same year. (My grandma amazes me.)
After sitting around for some time, we decide to call the family to see about arrangements for Margaret and Ronnie (see previous post). We begin to call the extended family. (Footnote before I continue: the extended family does not get along with each other at all. Little wars between all of them.) After a few calls, we reach Mary Lou, who lives with Madge. She says that they are still up at the hospital having a vigil for Aunt Margaret. We are shocked that Mary Lou doesn't know the news yet, but don't think that it is our place to tell her. A few more calls later, we reach Greg (Madge's brother). According to him, they are still at the hospital with Aunt Margaret, continuning the vigil. He doesn't know either.
Beside ourselves with what to do, my mom has a brainstorm: let's call the hospital and ask for Margaret herself. We do this and are told that she cannot come to the phone and we ask for the family who is there. We reach Eric (Madge's other brother) who explains that they have taken her off of everything except oxygen and it is just a matter of time.
She is still alive.
Yet, Madge called four hours ago and said, "We lost her" not "We are going to lose her."
What followed for the next hour were several jokes relating to: "The next time someone calls about a the passing of another, I'm going to say, 'Prove it.'"
Only in my family could this tragedy become a comedy. The good news is that my grandma won't be in quite as much shock when Aunt Margaret officially passes. (And it will be one heck of a story for Aunt Debbie when she gets out of the hospital.)
Now the story...
So, around 5:40, I'm talking to my mom on the phone when my mom's cousin, Madge, calls through. My mom and I hang up so that she can talk to Madge. Twenty minutes later, my mom comes home and tells me the news. As Madge said, "We lost her." Madge didn't want my grandma (Aunt Margaret's last sister) to know until tomorrow, but my mom said it would be easier to get everyone together to tell her in person tonight.
About two hours later (give or take), I'm at my grandma's with my mom, Lynn and Marion (two of her sisters...Debbie is the third), Tom (Marion's husband), Katie (Marion's daughter), Dave (Debbie's husband), and Steven (Debbie's son). We go inside and break the news to my grandma, so held herself together very well, considering the shock of losing a sister and a nephew in the same week and two sisters in the same year. (My grandma amazes me.)
After sitting around for some time, we decide to call the family to see about arrangements for Margaret and Ronnie (see previous post). We begin to call the extended family. (Footnote before I continue: the extended family does not get along with each other at all. Little wars between all of them.) After a few calls, we reach Mary Lou, who lives with Madge. She says that they are still up at the hospital having a vigil for Aunt Margaret. We are shocked that Mary Lou doesn't know the news yet, but don't think that it is our place to tell her. A few more calls later, we reach Greg (Madge's brother). According to him, they are still at the hospital with Aunt Margaret, continuning the vigil. He doesn't know either.
Beside ourselves with what to do, my mom has a brainstorm: let's call the hospital and ask for Margaret herself. We do this and are told that she cannot come to the phone and we ask for the family who is there. We reach Eric (Madge's other brother) who explains that they have taken her off of everything except oxygen and it is just a matter of time.
She is still alive.
Yet, Madge called four hours ago and said, "We lost her" not "We are going to lose her."
What followed for the next hour were several jokes relating to: "The next time someone calls about a the passing of another, I'm going to say, 'Prove it.'"
Only in my family could this tragedy become a comedy. The good news is that my grandma won't be in quite as much shock when Aunt Margaret officially passes. (And it will be one heck of a story for Aunt Debbie when she gets out of the hospital.)