Family Bonds

Since I was a little girl, I had two grandmother's, and my father's mother passed away when I was eight years old. I remember it vividly because my father was heartbroken and I had never experienced the loss of a family member. I loved her very much, so naturally it was hard. My mother's mom was alive, and she and I also had always been close. I never knew either of my grandfather's because they had passed away. I use to fly alone up to Philadelphia to visit with her, which I adored. I didn't mind flying alone, I thought it was so much fun. I would sleep in bed with her and she and I always have a nice relationship. As I have grown up I haven't seen as much as I wanted due to the fact that she rarely flew. My parents and I moved up to Chester county about six years ago to be closer to her in her older age. She already had dementia, but it has progressed over the years. She wasn't the same grandmother I knew over the years, she was slowly breaking down with age and loss of her memory. Recently my mother and her siblings made the decision to put her in a home because she was beyond being able to be cared for at home. She recently turned 91 years old, and I visit her with my daughter because she adores her great granddaughter.

It has been heartbreaking to watch her break down slowly, and especially to loose her memory of everything. It is especially hard to watch the toll it takes on my mother and her siblings. I have a difficult time visiting and end up in tears when I leave as does my mother. I cannot imagine how hard it is for my mother since it is her own mother. My grandmother is an amazing woman who had five children, and lived as an army wife. In her early years she grew up in Philadelphia and sang with Nat King Cole before he made it big. She also lost her husband when he was only 55 years old. Last week on her birthday, she grabbed me and pulled me down to her level (since she is in a wheel chair) and whispered in my ear, " Molly I love you more than anything and always have, your amazing and wonderful and I want you to know that. Do not let anyone tell you different." I left and cried the whole way home, it was like I had her even for a moment, the grandmother I have always known. She is a hard headed woman and won't go out without a battle, I hope my daughter gets that from her.