"Your grandpa thinks he is on his way out," my Mother said last night on the phone. "He's had the flu and he's just very down."
It sucks to be old, so old that all one's friends have passed away, so old that one can no longer drive, so old that one can hardly hear and barely see.
My grandfather has always been a sweet-tempered, hard-working, humorous man. And it is hard to watch such a good man suffer so.
He is now the age that his brother was when he died, and he has taken it as an omen.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
My grandfather
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7 comments:
I am taking care of my elderly mother and she is very much inclined to the same way of thinking. It is tough but I try to help her enjoy life still and distract her from her morbid thoughts.
I think there's some truth in older folks knowing when their time is coming especially since some of them just plain give up on living. As a nurse I saw this frequently especially with those who had lost a spouse and were living alone. Or those who had a few health issues. I remember as a youth not wanting to live past 60. Now that I'm darn near that I wonder why I thought that way.
My own grandmother lived alone for years and lived to be 93. She was sharp and witty till the day she died - a veritable inspiration.
As actress Bette Davis said late in her life: "Old age isn't for sissies." Sorry about your grandfather, but perhaps he knows it's time.
my in-laws are in their eighties and have been threatening to check out for the past ten years. we no longer believe them. We know they plan to outlast us all! But I do try to cheer them up on the bad days.....
Happy New Year ECD!
Mom is 81! and in 'good health' ... sure she has some memory issues, high blood pressure and such but we keep close tabs on her.... but I resolve to get her out of the house more! but she likes to stay home.... she says she is just waiting to die ... but she has always been an upbeat lady .... winters are hard on us all ... she likes to be in the garden, then her spirits pick up... she has always done so much, been independent ... it IS NO picnic for anyone you love to see this last challenge, dealing with failing health and powers... Mom is my Rock!
LGS: That "distraction" factor is very important. Thank goodness he still has my Grandmother, whom he loves very much, and my parents close by.
Janice: He and my Grandmother are so tightly wound together, that it's both a blessing and a curse. Wonderful for them right now but it's going to be hell when one of them goes.
He's always been sharp and witty but he's lost that now, so quickly.
Ian: That is so true!
Molly: I've missed you! That checking out threat seems pretty typical.
Kat: No picnic indeed. I remember when he was SO strong, could sing just like Jim Reeves, could wield pun after pun ...
ECD, I sorry to read that your granddad is feeling poorly. January is a rough month...
RE: Kat's comment, my mother in law is just waiting to die, and she is just 70. Her husband died 17 years ago this month, and she has been sad almost every day since.
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