Ephemeral reminder

[greybeta]

When my parents first got here, they struggled to make a living. After all, they were refugees in a strange land. They both worked during the day, so they needed someone to babysit for my sister and me. They found a nice elderly woman to take care of us. We affectionately nicknamed her Grandma Crammer (Crammer being her last name). I really don't remember too much about those times, since I was maybe five or six when Grandma Crammer babysat my sister and me. I later found out that her husband was a World War II veteran, but he had died by the time I knew Grandma.

Today, my dad, mom, and I went out to make our yearly visit to Grandma Crammer. We usually go to her house, but this year was the first year she's been at the nursing home. It's kind of sad to see someone so bright and jovial afflicted with Parkinson's disease. They'll remember something, but then they'll just as soon forget it. And so it was with Grandma Crammer.

Ephemeral reminders, they say.

Comments

[culculhen.livejournal.com]

My grandma has alzheimer's disease, she keeps forgetting. It is true, it's always sad to see that kind of thing happening.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

I know, they wanted to say something but they can't remember what they wanted to say.

[culculhen.livejournal.com]

It's just so hard for them, I see my grandfather just being so tired, trying to make sure that she is o.k. it just a terrible thing.

[ltin371.livejournal.com]

I totally understand. When I was in first grade my great-grandma had a stroke and then a brain aneurysm. She couldn't remember much- all of her memories were from years before. Yet for some reason, for the first few years, she recognized us kids. As the years progressed she got worse and worse, to the point of not even being able to talk or feed herself. Two years ago, this February, she passed away. Many people said that they wish she had gone on sooner, when she first got sick so she didn't have to suffer, but she didn't. I know that there is some reason that my great-grandma stayed around for 11 more years...I haven't figured it out yet, but there is a reason.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

I guess we're not meant to know everything.