Post by Hollybrry82182 on Mar 3, 2005 16:30:24 GMT -5
Part 4 (last one) starts now.....For Thanksgiving and Christmas, she was too weak to go home to my uncle's house, especially since there are a lot of stairs there, but their whole family came to visit her at the nursing home. My uncle has five kids and lots of grandkids, so there were a LOT of people going back and forth to her room
New Years was a lot quieter though. It was just me, my uncle and Victor who lives right near the nursing home and my other cousin, Jeff who was visiting from California. He was planning to go back on January 3rd. We all went over to the nursing home on January 2nd and ate dinner with my grandma just because we wanted to and it was Jeff's last night in town. It was a lot of fun and she was really alert and making jokes and everything. It was kool The next morning, I had to run a few errands and when I arrived at the nursing home about a half hour later than I normally would arrive (I didn't really have a set schedule), right as I parked my car, my cell rang. It was Vic asking if I was at the hospital. I was like what?? Turns out my grandma had a fever and her blood pressure was high, so she had been taken to the hospital. I went over there and met up with my uncle and Victor. Jeff came a few minutes later from the airport where he had been waiting for his flight. The doctors had some grim news for us. She had a lot of fluid and stuff in her lungs and her stomach and had a few other problems too. We finally got to go in and see her and she mostly just slept, but when she was awake, she recognized us and didn't want to let go of my hand. I stayed with her until they brought her up to a private room. We had to stay in a waiting room for quite a while while they got her settled and the doctors could check her out. My uncle called Teresa and let her know what was going on. We were able to go in and sit with her for a while, but only two people at a time. I stayed there all day while my uncle, Victor and Jeff took turns coming into the room. At around 8pm, Teresa and her husband arrived. We all just took turns staying with her all night long and the next day. She would seem fine one minute and be asleep the next. They had her on an oxygen mask, that did seem to help a little bit, but it was just sooo uncomfortable for her. My dad managed to get a load going to DC and then came to the hospital. Tim and Amy drove up on Thursday (the 6th). They got here in the evening right after my grandma had been transferred to another floor. By that time, she was not really alert at all. It was really hard seeing her like that. We all just stayed around her, talking to her. Tim and I decided to take a shift until 4am. Everyone else went home to get some sleep. Tim and I just talked to her and talked to eachother about growing up with her even though we actually weren't sure she could even hear us. At around 2:30am, a nurse came in to change her pain medication iv. Before she could do that though, my grandma took a big breath and then just didn't breath anymore. That was sooo hard to see. Just writing this brings it all back, and I can hardly see to type. The nurse let us stay with her and went to get a doctor. He came in to make sure. We said goodbye to her and then my brother called Teresa (I couldn't even hardly breathe, I was crying soo hard) and then we went back to my uncle's house. We all stayed up for a few hours talking and then finally went to bed, although I didn't sleep until hours later. My uncle and cousins made all of the arrangements and then after it was all over, my dad went back to work and my brother and sister went back to TN to their job and school.
I stayed with my uncle and cousins for a few days and then went back to TN. I felt really strange being back in TN knowing that I wouldn't be going back to Va and to the nursing home anymore. I had been back a week when Teresa called to talk. We had a nice talk and she also mentioned that she was going back up to Va because Pam, her sister was going to be visiting there. She wanted me to go with her, so I drove up to NC and then the 3 of us, me her and her husband drove up to Va. We stayed there for a week and then came back. By that time, it was time for my cruise. My friend's mom and dad go on a gospel cruise every winter. My friend decided to go this year too as a family vacation. I, practically being part of their family, made plans to go to. I actually wasn't in the mood to go, but had already payed for it months ago, so I went.
It was really, really fun. I would have like to have been able to be more outgoing though and talk to other people though! I mostly just hung out with my friend and her two girls. Granted it was a totally fun cruise, but it probably would have been better if I had been able to get up the nerve to talk to other people, my age especially.
Now that the cruise is over, I am kind of in a rut now. I am living in the apartment that my dad is renting for him and my sister. He's here every weekend. I am also looking for a job, but I hate going to find a new job, I get really anxious and nervous!! I am kind of broke though, so I guess I better get with it.
Well, my fingers are kind of tired, so I'm gonna stop for now! I hope I didn't bore you all, but I think I just needed to say it all!!!