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PL& the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day

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Petrarch's Love
, 01-22-2008 at 03:26 PM (1905 Views)
Well, I must say, just typing out the title for this blog entry made me feel a bit better (haven't thought of that children's book in years), but I'm feeling in very much of a slump today and thought I'd try out the oft heard of therapeutic qualities of blogging. I've been sad lately anyway, after my Grandfather passed away on Christmas day this year, but there was a beautiful service to say goodbye and the family has been dealing with it pretty well. Then yesterday I arrived home, already pretty drained from being a listening ear for the friend I was visiting and wading through a couple hours of stop and go L.A. traffic, only to find my Mum deeply upset after spending hours in the hospital with my Gram after she suffered a major stroke over lunch. Mum somehow dragged her out of the restaurant into the car and to the hospital after she keeled over. Apparently the CAT scan showed significant bleeding on the brain, though they think it's stopped now. Gram's relatively stable now and able to move on both sides of the body, but still only able to talk in monosyllables apparently. I'm very, very close to my Gram. She was the English Professor in the family, and someone who's always been a mentor and a guide. We just celebrated her 87th birthday this last Saturday, and she was merrily discussing her upcoming travel plans to go to New York in February and London in May (she travels as often as is humanly possible for someone of her age and income). I'm so afraid that we're going to loose her soon too, or that her once razor sharp mind will have been badly damaged by this thing. At any rate, I'm feeling very, very low this morning, and a bit irrationally angry at things like illness, death and old age. I suppose no one's really keen on 'em. O.K., will stop complaining now.
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  1. B-Mental's Avatar
    87 years, please Petrarch when your Grandmother should release, let her go...it is so touching to have them while you do....Cry tears of laughter should she go...peace, B PS~ I had similar things happen with 2 of my Grandmothers and they both made 90's...and died after the holidays. I know she was happy to see you grow up to become such a beautiful person...Did she see Larry?
  2. Virgil's Avatar
    Oh Petrarch. I'm so sorry to hear that. I hope she recovers fully. If the bleeding has stopped then i think the worst is over and now it's a question of the how bad the damage was. If she's talking now, even though limited, perhaps she'll recover. So be optimistic and say a prayer. One question, and this is hindsight, why didn't your mom call an ambulance instead of trying to take her to the hospital herself?
  3. kiz_paws's Avatar
    PL, I am very sorry to hear of such sad things. Please know that you are in my thoughts. Take care, Kizzo
  4. mtpspur's Avatar
    Very sorry to hear about your loss and the illness of your grand-mother. She sounds like a nice person to know.
  5. motherhubbard's Avatar
    I’m so sorry PL, that is such a hard thing to go through. Please keep us posted on her condition.
  6. Niamh's Avatar
    Oh god Petra, I'm so sorry to read all this! you poor thing! I'm sorry about you grandfather, and i really hope you gram gets better. Strokes are horrid things, and i know because my Dad had two and almost had a third. you are in my thoughts. LA gra Niamh
  7. Petrarch's Love's Avatar
    Thanks everyone, for your kind thoughts. She's doing about the same today. Mostly a wait and see thing. Niamh--I'm so sorry your dad went through that. Much as it's hard to have a grandparent ill, I know from experience that it's ten times worse when it's a parent. I hope that he is doing well now. Virg--I asked Mum the same thing about calling an ambulance. I guess you never know how people are going to act in emergencies. B--Yes, I know what you mean about mourning differently when someone dies in old age. I think right now I'm hoping she'll either make some sort of reasonable recovery or pass quickly. The thing I'm afraid of is prolonged suffering. It's hard to see that tenacious spirit struggling in a damaged mind and body. Unfortunately release is sort of the last descriptor I'd apply to the current situation. My gram is not the type to go gentle into that good night. Oh, and she did get a chance to see Larry. I'm not sure how much she approved of her grandaughter going about town with a leprechaun though.
  8. Niamh's Avatar
    I really hope she gets better Petra. My dad had had two mild strokes about eight years ago. He was lucky really. He just has very wobbly legs now. not allowed to drive. The stroke he almost had was when he fell ill in may last. She is lucky if she has full function of her body. You never know. She might still get to go on her trips! (i hope she does.)
  9. andave_ya's Avatar
    Petrarch, I'm really sorry. You're in my prayers.
  10. B-Mental's Avatar
    Tell her that the leprechaun was a son of JFK and he would have kissed her as I would....then kiss her, and tell her peter says hello... it is her choice to leave this world, when her pain is too great. Peter B.