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Grandma
Thank you all for your kind thoughts on my last post - I really appreciate it. It was a bit stark because I got home from the Caption planning meeting/pub meet to find the message on my answer phone and it just wasn't the end of the day I was expecting. I presume Mum & Dad decided not to ring the mobile figuring that I was out and wouldn't particularly want to know while I was supposed to be being sociable.
It wasn't a shock to anyone because she had a stroke last week which left her in a coma and a decision to withdrawn her drip was made. If she had regained conciousness, obviously they would have reconnected her but otherwise the intention was to let her pass away in peace, which she did. She'd had Altzeimers for many years and hadn't recognised any of us for quite some time and I found that I struggled with feeling that I hoped she would die, which felt heartless even though I could explain why it wasn't really. It was difficult to tell whether or not she was happy really - she'd got to the stage where she wasn't really there but she wasn't really living, just re-living. We agreed a long time ago that the Altzeimers society (or someone like that - can't remember the name) could have bits of her brain to research on so I hope that does some good in a small way.
She was a lovely lady when I was younger though. We used to visit in February half term when I was little and celebrate our birthdays there (my brother is about 2 weeks after me) and we had such fun. She taught me to play Rummy, which she loved and we would do that for hours. She used to tell us stories of the rich eccentric old chap she used to "do" for until she was about 80. By then it was more a company thing - he didn't get her to do very much, but she would go over and cook and they would talk, I think. Anyway. That's how I want to remember her - warm and caring and funny, playing Rummy with me.
It wasn't a shock to anyone because she had a stroke last week which left her in a coma and a decision to withdrawn her drip was made. If she had regained conciousness, obviously they would have reconnected her but otherwise the intention was to let her pass away in peace, which she did. She'd had Altzeimers for many years and hadn't recognised any of us for quite some time and I found that I struggled with feeling that I hoped she would die, which felt heartless even though I could explain why it wasn't really. It was difficult to tell whether or not she was happy really - she'd got to the stage where she wasn't really there but she wasn't really living, just re-living. We agreed a long time ago that the Altzeimers society (or someone like that - can't remember the name) could have bits of her brain to research on so I hope that does some good in a small way.
She was a lovely lady when I was younger though. We used to visit in February half term when I was little and celebrate our birthdays there (my brother is about 2 weeks after me) and we had such fun. She taught me to play Rummy, which she loved and we would do that for hours. She used to tell us stories of the rich eccentric old chap she used to "do" for until she was about 80. By then it was more a company thing - he didn't get her to do very much, but she would go over and cook and they would talk, I think. Anyway. That's how I want to remember her - warm and caring and funny, playing Rummy with me.
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Difficult to tell whether or not she was happy is still better than it being obvious that she wasn't happy. And not the worst way to go by any means. How old was she, then?
didn't comment last night because not in right frame of mind
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My gran had Alzheimer's before she died so I have an idea how you feel. We didn't donate her brain (it wouldn't have occured to us) but I make a donation to Alzheimer's research every Christmas (when she died) in her memory.
I have lovely memories of my gran before she developed it too, and those are the ones that come to my mind ten years later, much more so than the more recent memories of the frightened and confused old lady she later became, I'm sure it will be the same for you.
I'm sorry for your loss.
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grans and feelings