My Grandma

My grandma is dying. She's not sick; she's just old.

My grandpa (her husband) was sick with cancer many years ago. I remember about a week before my 16th birthday I thought it was strange that the entire family came to visit him. I didn't know that it was arranged so that we could all say one last good-bye.

My grandma has spent the past few years in Arizona with my aunt. Maybe about six months or so ago she came back to Illinois and my mom (and her siblings) choose a nursing home for her. My mom took her out of the nursing home and brought her home with her and hired a 24 hour care-taker.

This past weekend my mom has begun calling family and letting them know they should come and visit. Grandma hasn't eaten anything since Saturday. Her kidneys aren't producing. And she's been sleeping a lot.

I took the boys to go and visit today and she seemed to be in good spirits. She called Liam "fat" (for lack of being able to think of the proper word for saying he's grown so much). She told Quinn to be a good boy. And she asked how I was feeling. We talked about medicine and how it's helping us all feel a bit better with this weather. She seemed at peace - not in any pain.

My mom has had a chaplan out and is arranging for a priest to come (Grandma is Catholic, my mom is not). My dad said the chaplan was singing to my grandma.

Death is such a strange event - yet such a normal part of life.

My grandma sat next to my grandpa as he passed away.

I'm glad my mom brought Grandma home with her.

I'm glad my boys weren't afraid to see her and talk to her. This is an important stage of life that I want them to understand as much as they can. (Of course, I still don't understand as much as I want to about the end of life.)

I'm glad I got to see and talk to her.