Thoughts.com Blogs - End of a life

In these final days of my grandfathers life I am finding it hard to come to terms with it. I look at this man, seeing everything he is and remebering everything he was. He ran away with my grandmother and eloped at the age of 18 when the world was in an uproar. Shortly after marrying my grandmother, he went away to fight in the Korean War. While away from his bride, he sent her many beautiful gifts from afar...and came then came home to her. She still has these gifts and shows them to us often. Once home from war and back on thier feet so to speak, they lived in a small house and struggled daily to take care of themselves. When he finally started working at Ford they found themselves in a much better position financially and bought thier first home. Once settled and happy, they decided to add a child to thier home as well...giving birth to my Aunt Pam. After having her, my grandmother could no longer carry a life inside of her again, however they wanted more than anything to have another child. They adopted my mother when she was very small, and raised her along with Pam. I'm sure through thier lives my mother and aunt put them through many trials...but they stayed together regardless. They love one another, and honestly I do not know how well she will survive without him. I have many memories with my Papa, spending many nights in that house they bought together...thier first home. I remember the smells when Nana would make us peanut butter cookies with Kisses in the middle, and staying up late to watch shows with her. They had the most beautiful rec drapes I had ever seen, and I loved to dress up and hide in them!!! Looking back on it...the drapes were hideous, but I loved them non the less! I can remember helping Papa pick the beans he had grown in his back yard, and walking the dog with him, or washing his car..one of my personal favorites!!! When the doctors first said something was wrong no one really knew what was happening. He suddley lost his ability to speak properly, thinking was very hard for him...and he started forgetting us. We all knew shortly after that he had developed Alzheimer Disease, and it crushed us. As I sit here crying thinking of this strong man, this amazing person, that came from a poor coal mining family in Kentucky, to this forman at Ford, and all the while fought for this country and raised his family, it saddens me that he will someday forget all he has worked for. I got a phone call from my mother asking for ideas on memorable things we can do for this Thanksgiving and Christmas, as we do not know if they will be his last. The doctors say as long he doesn't catch the flu or pnumonia he could last as long as 2 years, but they are predicting 6 months to a year at best. I am hoping that one of you who read this, or someone you know will have some ideas of things we can do for him this holiday season. I will be there with my camera, capturing all of the moments I can...hopefully in his last moments, we will all be with him and he will feel the love that he has created in this world with a family of mostly women who adore him.

Please...any and all suggestions will be passed on, and I will let all of you know what we decide to do when it comes time....

I hope you all have a blessed day!!!

Hugz~Niki