Here's Katelyn at 4 months old, meeting my grandpa for the first time. We took across the hall to meet my grandma the same day. I took video of them together but never did take a picture. I'm mad about that now.
In better times, at my cousin's wedding in Boston, Nov. 2003.
Dancing with my dad at the same wedding.
She always loved babies...here she is looking at Brady back in Feb. One of our last visits.
Katelyn is so sweet. She loved to brush Grandma's hair. Even in her last days, Katelyn would get the brush and stroke her hair gently while she slept. Katelyn also gave her a doll to hold and would softly stroke her arm. Very sweet and caring.
This has been one tough year, I have to tell you. On New Year's day, my family I flew to Boston and were attending my grandfather's wake. A few weeks later, my brother-in-law's grandma passed away. We loved her and considered her our adopted grandmother. A few weeks after that, my great aunt lost her battle with cancer and in March, my good friend from high school lost her 8 yr. old daughter to a terrible disease. Thought we could take a breath, but then on my Grandfather's birthday, April 20, my grandmother stopped swallowing. This is the last function to go in Alzheimer's patients and she has been struggling with this disease for the past 10 years. We knew the end was near, as she was unable to swallow anything...even water. We went to Tampa, with the kids and I stayed in Tampa with them until my sweet Grandma passed away on May 3rd. I've never watched someone die before. She gradually got thinner and thinner, struggling for air. We had several false alarms, then she would rally and turn a corner. My parents, my Aunt, and I would take turns sitting with her in her room. I was always terrified she would die "under my watch" and I would have to be the one to make the calls, but that didn't happen (thank God!!). She fought and fought...10 days without food or water and then drew her last breath with my Aunt and Dad with her. I'm glad they were with her when she passed. It truly is bittersweet...she really battled with her disease, no longer able to walk, speak, feed herself, etc...no memory of any of us, although seemed to enjoy our company and we know she really is in a better place...but so sad to see her go. I was cleaning out my closet yesterday and found two letters I had saved from her. She had sent me letters faithfully when I was in college, every month in her letter she would enclose a book of stamps or a check for some fun money. She was such a wonderful grandmother...not your stereotypical grandma who sits in her rocking chair knitting (although she did knit beautifully...she had a terrible potty mouth, swearing often. Her world stopped when her grandkids were over...always time for cards, bingo, hair washes, a home cooked meal. She sold Avon for years and whenever I see or smell "Skin So Soft" bubbles, I think of her. I know she's reunited with my grandpa now and they're enjoying their cruise, sipping a manhattan and ready for a game of bingo. Miss you Grandma.
No comments:
Post a Comment