Love you forever
As you will recall if you followed my Christmas Saga and entries previous to that, my grandpa (mom's dad) has been sick for quite awhile. It was really hard on him to lose his independence since he was always such a strong, stubborn, vital man. He finally had to go into a nursing home for rehab purposes in December. He was about to be released in late January when he got attacked by pneumonia. He was in the hospital for just under a week and then released back to the nursing home. This time he was not even strong enough for his therapy. My mom came down to see him last weekend in which he was doing pretty good. Nowhere near as good as Christmas, but well enough. He was eating, talking, laughing, playing cards, etc. He called our house and talked to all of us including Melissa and Joseph. My aunt got a call Thursday night that Grandpa's kidneys were shutting down. They called again Friday morning to say he was in multiple system failure and we better get down here. I have never packed so fast in my life. I was showered, dressed, packed (for a week) and out the door in 50 minutes. Luckily I had an inkling this was coming based on Mom's visit last weekend, so I had sub plans ready and only needed to go to school for an hour to fill in the specifics and pull out the materials. Mom called me at 11:30am. Talked to Dad at noon who said yes, get home. I was in the driveway at 3:25 -- from my apartment 50 miles away.
We got down here to Ohio Friday night at 9:00. The thoughts running through my head for most of the day: I will bury three grandparents in four years. I won't have any grandparents left. I just did this 14 months ago. Grandpa was asleep in his recliner when we got there. He was moved to the bed shortly after we arrived. He wasn't talking, but he opened up his eyes when we got there and at various comments throughout the time we were talking to him. I was praising God that I got the chance to tell Grandpa I have a full time job next year. He worried about me so much being part time with little to no health insurance. I was so glad I got to tell him he didn't need to worry about me anymore. We stayed with him there until 11:30pm.
We headed back to the nursing home at 8:00 the next morning. (Saturday??) Grandpa looked at me and said, "Hi, honey," when I got there. After that, he didn't open his eyes much during the day. I think by mid-afternoon he was only opening his eyes when the nurses were tending to him. We stayed there until 10:00pm.
The nurse called at 3:30 in the morning and told us we better get over there. We raced over there and gathered around his bed. He didn't seem too different to me, so I was wondering how she knew we needed to be there. As it was, he ended up calming down and his breathing regulated again within an hour. Dad brought Allison and I back to the hotel at 8:30 for breakfast and showers. We went back to the home afterwards. I kept thinking that Aunt Mary Lou just needed to tell him he could go and that would be it. But she wouldn't. Mom did, but she didn't. At 1:30, his breathing started slowing down again, I braced myself for it, thinking this was it. But it wasn't. Again, Aunt ML wasn't ready, so he waited We grabbed lunch at 3:00 and got back by 4:00.
At about 4:40, my dad, mom and sister went to go play Euchre with my great uncle Burt (Grandpa's older brother) who also lives there. I was left in the room with my cousins and aunt. We were talking about life in general and making fun of each other when we noticed Grandpa's color suddenly change and his breathing get really slow. My aunt ran out of the room to get someone. It was literally the second she was outside the room that Grandpa started going. I held his and told him how much I loved him. I said I would miss him. I would take care of Mom so he didn't need to worry about her. I watched as his pulse faded away and eventually stopped. Grandpa died just after 5:00 yesterday evening. He was surrounded by his grandchildren holding his hands and stroking in his arms, telling him how much he was loved and it was OK for him to go. It was very peaceful. We are all so thankful that Grandpa chose that particular moment when the room was filled with so much love. I am convinced he knew that his daughters were not in the room and that's why he left right then -- so that they wouldn't have to see that moment. It was a very surreal experience to actually see the exact moment life left his body, but I'm glad I was there.
I haven't really cried too much yet. I cried yesterday when he died, of course, but not a lot. The tears will come at the funeral, I expect. I just can't believe I will have buried three grandparents in four years -- two in the last 14 months.
I'm glad to have my laptop with me here and an internet connection in the room to keep me connected. It's been making me smile to see such kind words coming from such wonderful people. I would especially like to thank
hwimsey for being so great.
We got down here to Ohio Friday night at 9:00. The thoughts running through my head for most of the day: I will bury three grandparents in four years. I won't have any grandparents left. I just did this 14 months ago. Grandpa was asleep in his recliner when we got there. He was moved to the bed shortly after we arrived. He wasn't talking, but he opened up his eyes when we got there and at various comments throughout the time we were talking to him. I was praising God that I got the chance to tell Grandpa I have a full time job next year. He worried about me so much being part time with little to no health insurance. I was so glad I got to tell him he didn't need to worry about me anymore. We stayed with him there until 11:30pm.
We headed back to the nursing home at 8:00 the next morning. (Saturday??) Grandpa looked at me and said, "Hi, honey," when I got there. After that, he didn't open his eyes much during the day. I think by mid-afternoon he was only opening his eyes when the nurses were tending to him. We stayed there until 10:00pm.
The nurse called at 3:30 in the morning and told us we better get over there. We raced over there and gathered around his bed. He didn't seem too different to me, so I was wondering how she knew we needed to be there. As it was, he ended up calming down and his breathing regulated again within an hour. Dad brought Allison and I back to the hotel at 8:30 for breakfast and showers. We went back to the home afterwards. I kept thinking that Aunt Mary Lou just needed to tell him he could go and that would be it. But she wouldn't. Mom did, but she didn't. At 1:30, his breathing started slowing down again, I braced myself for it, thinking this was it. But it wasn't. Again, Aunt ML wasn't ready, so he waited We grabbed lunch at 3:00 and got back by 4:00.
At about 4:40, my dad, mom and sister went to go play Euchre with my great uncle Burt (Grandpa's older brother) who also lives there. I was left in the room with my cousins and aunt. We were talking about life in general and making fun of each other when we noticed Grandpa's color suddenly change and his breathing get really slow. My aunt ran out of the room to get someone. It was literally the second she was outside the room that Grandpa started going. I held his and told him how much I loved him. I said I would miss him. I would take care of Mom so he didn't need to worry about her. I watched as his pulse faded away and eventually stopped. Grandpa died just after 5:00 yesterday evening. He was surrounded by his grandchildren holding his hands and stroking in his arms, telling him how much he was loved and it was OK for him to go. It was very peaceful. We are all so thankful that Grandpa chose that particular moment when the room was filled with so much love. I am convinced he knew that his daughters were not in the room and that's why he left right then -- so that they wouldn't have to see that moment. It was a very surreal experience to actually see the exact moment life left his body, but I'm glad I was there.
I haven't really cried too much yet. I cried yesterday when he died, of course, but not a lot. The tears will come at the funeral, I expect. I just can't believe I will have buried three grandparents in four years -- two in the last 14 months.
I'm glad to have my laptop with me here and an internet connection in the room to keep me connected. It's been making me smile to see such kind words coming from such wonderful people. I would especially like to thank
hwimsey for being so great.