Entries (RSS)A couple weeks ago I got a call from my parents on a Saturday night. From the tone and time of the call, I got a little worried. Apparently they had gotten a short and confusing call from my grandma and ended up calling my uncle to find out what was going on. What they found out was that my great aunt had had another stroke and was moved to hospice care. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a big surprise. She’d been diagnosed with cancer a few years ago and refused any treatment, so her health had been declining for several years.
With this phone call, we also found out my grandma has pancreatic cancer. At her age, the treatment is just as likely to hurt her as to help her, and with this type of cancer, most people live about a year. They had just found out for certain and she was just starting to tell people. She still isn’t really very open about it, so I’ve kind of hesitated on blogging about it, but I don’t figure anyone associated with the family has found this blog anyway.
Well, a few days later, we found out that my great aunt had passed away, so we went to the funeral that weekend. I wasn’t terribly close to my great aunt, so I was there more for my grandma than anything else. And I was doing OK most of the weekend. But just before we left, we found out from my aunt that the year my grandma has is most likely from when she started exhibiting symptoms a few months ago. We also found out that the whole week leading up to the funeral had taken quite a bit out of her. It wasn’t exactly a cheery picture. We’ve since found out that it may only be about 6 months, given her health since the last doctor visit.
Anyway, on the way home from the funeral, my parents were teasing about everyone asking when Mr. B and I were going to get married. Mom then made a comment that my grandparents are most likely concerned about when we’re getting married because they probably aren’t going to be there to see it, but want to make sure I’ll be taken care of. Mr. B and I are talking about getting married, but waiting until he’s finished or at least close to finishing his electrician’s apprenticeship, which is about 3-1/2 years from now, so my grandma’s not going to be there to see me get married.
My grandpa is in good health, but the past couple years has gotten sick over the winter and ended up in the hospital. And, at this point, he refuses to go back to the hospital because when he’s been there, they’ve given him steroids and it’s caused him to hallucinate quite badly. He remembers everything that happens when he’s like that and doesn’t like the feeling of not being in control. So there’s also the possibility of him getting sick and refusing treatment.
I’ve already lost my other grandparents, so there’s a real possibility that none of my grandparents will be at my wedding. I guess I just always assumed that they would be. Kinda strange with all the stuff going on, that such an innocent comment would make it all hit home…
