Well I got a phone call this afternoon from my Mom telling me my grandfather passed away. He has been sick for a long time now(various heart surgeries including a tripple bypass, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's just to name a few). Hes been in a nursing home for awhile now and he recently stopped eating and then pretty much slipped into a coma.
I know its for the better hes passed on and hes not in pain anymore and hes with my grandmother.
Here is a sappy love story for you...
My Grampy and Nanny had been married for years(I don't even know how long). There was a 14 year age difference and my Nanny was always the young one at heart. They had 3 daughters(one being my Mom) and a Son. They lived a rather poor life... Mom told me she grew up in a one room shack that had no running water. When Mom was older they got a trailer and life was a little bit better. Yet no matter how poor they were they were always happy. My Mom said they never ever ever fought. Mom said she never even heard them raise their voices at each other, they were always sappy in love.
I can remember my Nanny prancing around the kitchen when I was growing up, always baking cookies for her grandchildren... there was ALWAYS something yummy when I went over.
I used to stay with my Nanny and Grampy a lot growing up, it helped me get away from my shitty home life. Nanny always was more then happy to see me. Everyone always says im a spitting image of her.
Well my Nanny had a really bad heart... she was in and out of the hospital a lot towards the end of her life as was my Grampy. Even still no matter how sick Nanny was she was always in the hospital with Grampy holding his hand and taking care of him, then it switched when she was even more sick then he was, Grampy was ALWAYS with Nanny.
The last time I saw the two of them together Nanny and Grampy were sitting on the love seat in their living room holding hands(Nanny was on an oxygen machine) and smiling all sappy in love.
Nanny died two weeks later with Grampy in her hospital room holding her hand.
We always thought that once Nanny went Grampy would be shortly after her yet he held on for two years after... he had a pitcher of her beside his bed and every night before bed he would kiss the pitcher and tell Nanny he loved her.
The last time I saw my grandfather just over a month ago he didn't even remember who I was(and I was ALWAYS the favorite grand daughter). When he realized who I was he started crying and begging me not to leave telling me how I remind him so much of Nanny and its tearing his heart apart that he can't even remember. I started crying because it broke my heart to see him like this. I still picture him as the big strong man who used to pick me up on his shoulders and carry me around... the big strong man who used to be able to cut down a tree and make it land on a dime... and here he was this frail old man who can't even feed himself. I kissed him goodbye told him I love him and I will always be thinking of him and I will be back to see him before I go home. I never made it back to see him...
Then Mom called me today while I was at work to tell me he passed on. I broke down... I feel like shit because the last thing I said to him was a lie... I never made it back.
The worse of it is... I can't even make it home for the funeral on Tues. Im in Calgary and my family is back east. I checked flights frantically trying to find a way home and its going to cost me $1500 to go home. I just can not afford it... how pathetic of a grand daughter am I? I lied to my Grampy and now I can't even make it home for his funeral.
I am happy because hes no longer suffering and hes with my Nanny and they are meant to be together...
But I hate myself for lying to my Grampy and I can't even make it home to see him because im stuck out west doing this damn booking and can't afford a stupid flight home.
Anyway im done my sad story... I guess I just needed to get it all out. Sitting here in my room all alone just doesn't help it any![]()


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It's good that you did get to see him shortly before, even if not as much as you wanted to. No one expects death to actually come and it sounds like you were there for him! Remember-funerals are for the living really-you aren't letting your Grampy down. I think he'll know you were thinking of him, even if you aren't at the actual service.



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