07 May 2009

I wish I could see 'Grandma' Agian

“I wish I could see ‘Grandma’ again”.
When my parents moved to the little old blue house on Sunshine Drive all of the neighbors were friendly including our next-door neighbor an elderly woman named Adelia Ferris, or Grandma, as she preferred us to call her. Grandma would always invite my siblings and I over for fresh baked cookies and cherry Kool-Aid. We would stay over for hours and play blocks. Sometimes she had puzzles set out for us to build and if mom called us home early she would leave it out for us to finish next time we came over.
Grandma loved to paint. She painted pictures and the faces of the beautiful set of porcelain dolls in her living room. She did it for fun. They were beautifully arranged in a glass cabinet. My favorite one was the dark haired one with bouncy curls. Grandma always said she resembled me. I often admired them through the glass.
Grandma was always there for us when we needed her. When I was about eight, my mother had a stroke. My brother and me were at home alone when this happened, we ran over to Grandma’s house. After the ambulance took my mother to the hospital, my father asked Grandma if we could stay at her house until they came back. Grandma was more than happy to keep us; she did everything to make us feel better.
Overtime we noticed Grandma was becoming weak. Often times she would be too ill for us to come over. We had noticed she quit coming outside to tend to her garden. We often visited her during these times, but Grandma was just too tired. Then one day, Grandma’s sister came over to pack her things. She informed us that she was going to be transferred to the Lawrence County Manor. We went to see her as often as we could, but we noticed that something was happening to Grandma. Sometimes we come in and ask us our names, or ask were she was. We did not understand this behavior. A nurse explained to us that Grandma had developed Alzheimer’s. It was hard for us to see her like that. Over time she became even weaker, she was always asleep. One day we came home from school, and my parents were home with a worried look on their faces. They informed us of Grandma’s death. It was hard on the whole family; we all loved her very much. Her funeral was short and peaceful, I remember.
I will never forget my next-door neighbor who was very friendly and caring towards us. She was a wonderful welcome for my family and I into a new community. If she were still alive I would tell her everything about my life since I last saw her. I would love to see the relationship between her and my daughter. I know that Grandma would love her very much. She was the only Grandma I had growing up, and even though Andy already has two I’m sure she wouldn’t mind a third to spoil her rotten. I know the connection would be just as wonderful as it was with us.

Grandma was a very important person in my life growing up. Any feedback to make this better?

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