Generations

My Grandmother is dying. She was put in a hospital on Sunday or Monday and then transferred to the nursing home yesterday. She has some kind of tumor on her liver that could start pressing on her aorta or lungs. I visited her today. She's so frail. She's 84 years old. She had a total of 9 children. She outlived 4 of her adult children. Two of them died before their first birthdays. Six of them are gone, geez! My uncle Don, uncle Ron and my mother are the only ones of grandma's children left.

My cousin Laura gave me a ride to see Grandma. I haven't kept in contact with most of my cousins. Laura told me about parenting problems with her son James, daughter June Marie and having to babysit for June Marie's daughter Kayla. I have a little idea about my cousin Laura going through relationship problems with her ex-husband and growing up in an alcoholic family. I don't know much of the story, though. There are layers of problems in my family. Laura's mother, my aunt Marilyn, died of cancer several years ago. I think seeing my Grandma in such frail condition reminded Laura of her mother. It's hard on all of us.

Even though my Grandma is weak, she's definitely still herself. She couldn't talk very loud, but she asked if I have found a job yet. My cousin Megan was there as well. Megan, Laura and I talked while Grandma sort of rested. Grandma said that we cousins should get together more often, and she can't rest because we're talking! One of the attendants offered us beverages. I had some coffee. Grandma wanted to know when I started drinking coffee! Then she wanted to make sure I didn't spill it and got the coffee cup back to the attendants. That's how she is!

I don't think my Grandma is going to be around much longer. It's probably a matter of days. I am going to miss her because she did so much for my mom and I over the years! I heard Father Larry Richards say in a lecture on Relevant radio that "you gotta tell the people that you love that you love them!" So I held my Grandma's bony hand, I could see her veins through her skin, and told her that I love her and very much appreciate her generosity throughout the years. I will miss her!

With regard to my cousin Laura's family life, all I know is I've been extremely blessed. My Grandpa White had alcohol problems. He died before I was born and my Grandma remarried my step-grandpa Klein. He may have been abusive to my Grandma. I'm not sure. Laura's mother was an alcoholic, too. Grandpa Klein abused Laura and her sister Shirley. Then later on he abused me. As I mentioned, Laura had relationship problems with her ex-husband. Now June has relationship problems with her boyfriend. See the layers of problems in my family? I've been extremely blessed because my mom didn't abuse alcohol. I don't think the abuse at the hands of Grandpa Klein had much impact on my life. My relationship with my mother has been pretty good. And I am very grateful to God for my Grandma's help for my mother and I.

UPDATE: My Grandma died on April 7th, two days after I saw her last. I think my aunt Dorothy was with her when she died. She was cremated. We had a memorial service for her in Waterloo on April 21st. My cousin Laura gave me a ride. My aunt Dorothy did a great job searching through all of Grandma's photos of her children from when they were little. There were also several photos of the grandkids, including me! I don't remember a lot of the photos I was in. I also got to meet my little cousins Kayla and Austin. Kayla is Laura's grandchild. I guess that makes her a 3rd cousin to me? I dunno. She's 3 years old. Austin is my cousin Darrell's son. (So Austin is my 2nd cousin.) I think he's 10 months old. He's a charmer! I'm going to miss my Grandma a lot. She did a lot for my mom and I!