So when I called my mom at work to tell her that my grandfather (her former father-in-law) has been in the hospital for three days, most likely dying, and how upset I was that no one bothered to call me, I discovered that she was not there because she was taking my step father to the doctor because (I think) he’s retaining too much fluid. 

NO ONE EVER TELLS ME ANYTHING

IT REALLY PISSES ME OFF

My grandfather is one of my favorite people in the whole wide world.  He’s a doctor, he always is happy, he and my grandmother (another of my favorite people ever) have been married for 68 years and they still hold hands and love each other.  I’ve never heard him yell except in happiness or at a football game.  He keeps photo albums of all his five children and their families, and makes indexes so that when we come visit we can look up pictures of our parents or ourselves as babies.  One album is all Christmases.  Years and years of them.  Every time the whole family is together he takes a head shot of everyone and puts those in, too.  He tried to retire for at least ten years before he finally did, and even then he would take calls in the middle of the night for the nursing home if they needed him. 

The last time I saw him was two years ago, when we all went for Thanksgiving.  He looked around at all the little kids and said to me, "I won’t get to see this bunch grow up.  I got to watch my children and all of you (meaning his grandkids) grow up, but I won’t get to see this bunch."  He wasn’t complaining or being dramatic; he was just stating the fact. 

If he can hang in there awhile longer, he’ll turn 93 on New Year’s Eve.  Two weeks after that, I’m going to be at their house for a visit.  I would love to be able to see him again to say goodbye, but I think that he is in a lot of pain, so maybe it’s better if he’s already gone by then.  I’m very very sad, though he’s lived a long time, been blessed and happy.  I need to quit crying and take my cookies out of the oven. 

5 thoughts on “

  1. Lin

    How lucky you are to have had such a man in your life. Don’t you wish he could go on forever, though…and be around for your children. What a treasure.

    Reply

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