Tuesday, June 10, 2008

R.I.P. Gramma

There is much to be said, but I am having a hard time getting the words out. The past week has not been a fun one, rather, it has been a coming together of family, and trying to hold each other up while one of our own slowly sinks down.

As you can tell from the title, we've had a death in the family. M's Gramma passed on Friday, and while she lived a long, full life, it is still hard to let go of one of the nicest women I got the pleasure of meeting.

Here's the past week for me:

Monday June 2:
Worked. Was driving home from work when M called to let me know that Gramma was going downhill, and that we would be going over to the care home as soon as I got home. Finally made it home (doesn't it always seem like it takes FOREVER when you have something important to get too?), M and I quickly changed from work clothes and headed over to the care home. Gramma had been put on oxygen, but Lynne (my MIL) and her brother had already made the decision that we were not taking Grams to the hospital. (She has alzheimers - so they make decisions for her)

Tuesday June 3:
Stayed home from work because I didn't get home from the care home until almost 2am. Had to pick up my sister in law Jamie from the airport, as she flew in to be able to say her goodbyes. Went to the care home to check on both Grams and Lynne, who was now basically living at Gram's side. In and out of the care home all day and well into the evening.

Wednesday June 4:
Managed to make arrangements to work from home. Ugg. Brain fried, but needed to give Lynne a chance to get some rest, so stayed at the care home all night. Haven't stayed up for more than 24 hours in many years, remembering why.

Thursday June 5:
Finally make it home from the care home when Jamie comes in to relieve me. It's now 11am, and I have been up since 730am on Wednesday. Do some work, make arrangements for a conference call and fall into bed. Wake up at 2pm, do conference call, and again, fall back into bed. Get up at 6pm, shower, and head back over to see how Grams is doing. Not well.

Friday June 6:
Get woken up to banging on the bedroom door. It's Jamie, and Lynne has called to say that Grams is rapidly going downhill. We need to get over there. Fly outta bed, get dressed, call Kristina, (my other sister in law), tell her that I will be by to get her in 5 minutes, we all rush out the door. Pick up Kristina, rush to care home. We didn't make it in time.

By the time we got to the care home, Grams is gone. Lynne is understandably upset, as are the rest of us. Spend some time saying goodbye to Grams, and head back home.

Saturday June 7:
Have to go back to the care home and pack up all of Gram's things. Don't want Lynne to have to do it by herself, so we all go.

M, Jamie and I decide that we need to get out for a bit, so we head over to the Casino to play some 3 card poker. We're all down, but we manage to have fun.

Sunday June 8:
Time to go to the funeral home and finish off the arrangements. As Jamie is otherwise occupied, it's up to me and M to take Lynne over. Finalize plans.

Monday June 9:
Work from home again, so that I can take Jamie to the airport. We're all overtired and it's starting to show when M gets a bit perturbed at the TV for no apparent reason.

And finally, we're at today. I'm back in the office, wishing that I were at home, sleeping. But there is a lot to do, so at least I'm keeping busy.

TTYL,
kris

No comments: