Saying Goodbye
Our agenda for this week has changed drastically as we are now nurturing Grandma as she has taken a sudden turn for the worse. She fell Saturday morning and hasn't had anything to eat or drink since Saturday night. She also hasn't spoken a word or made eye contact with us since then. We've gone from waiting for her to wake up when she feels better to realizing it's the permanent sleep that will make her feel better.
It’s
interesting how much in shock we are dealing with this imminent death. We have been “prepared” for this for a few
years, but it still feels like it came on suddenly. We were eating sno cones together on Friday
afternoon, laughing about Ian’s experiences at his first week of school, and
now we are saying our final goodbyes.
Though
it is still emotional, I feel blessed to have been a caregiver for
Eleanor. Even though getting vomited on
is not something I need to experience again, it has been a privilege to care
for her in these final hours when she couldn’t do anything for herself. This morning before school, Lizzie and Ian and I held her hand and sang “You Are My Sunshine” to her. Ian wondered aloud if
she could hear what we were saying. I
hope that she knows we love and appreciate all she has taught and given us from
her kindness, love, and example.
Soon we will bid farewell to this cruel beast called Alzheimer's. Thankfully, we can look forward to meeting up with Eleanor in the eternities, perfected to the cheerful, healthy, intelligent, capable soul she was before.
 |
| Eleanor Jensen, July 2014 |
What a tough transitional time this is for your family, Lisa. I remember Eleanor being so kind and gracious to us when Brian and I visited her and Riley when they were on their mission in Hawaii. I pray that you all will feel peace.
ReplyDeleteShe looks so much like you, I would guess she is your mother, not your mother-in-law! Sweet. Prayers for you. And cookies whenever you want.
ReplyDeleteOh my sweet Lisa... I KNOW how difficult this is, yet know peace can and will come swiftly and easily. "The only length of life that seems to satisfy the longings of the human heart is life everlasting. "Doors of Death" - Elder Nelson, April 1992. Sending love and prayers.
ReplyDelete