My Memaw
My youthful 78 year old grandma is dying.
Being that we now live 3,000
miles apart, the last time I saw her feeling well was at our
wedding in
November of 1998.
Two weeks ago, I took a trip back to California, knowing that my grandma wasn't doing well but nobody knew what was wrong with her. All we knew was that she was not herself. As it turned out, the day I arrived was the day my family found out why the "Memaw" we knew was rapidly slipping away into another world. It is Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and, as we quickly learned, it is fatal. There is no cure and no way around the fact that our Memaw is dying.
When I saw her, it was as if she had aged
one hundred years since our last visit. She was no longer able to
stand or walk without the help of a walker. She recognized my
face but was unable to speak. She looked so scared and confused.
She was still responsive enough to know that something was wrong
with her and that it was not good. She was very shaky but still
liked to give hugs. Her eyes spoke the words that her voice could
not. Only eleven days after that visit, my family had to put
her in a Care Home because they were no longer able to help with
her daily
needs.
This is a painful experience for all of
us, especially my grandpa.
On August 2, 1999, they celebrated their 52nd wedding
anniversary. We can
only comfort each other during these times. We will see that my
Memaw is
comfortable until her very last breath. It is very helpful and
comforting
to read others' stories about their lost loved ones.
I will print and pass along these stories
to my family members who do not have internet access. Perhaps,
they too, will find some comfort knowing that although we have
lost, we are not alone. Our prayers go out to all.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Singer