Three years ago today

On the 9th of July, 2003, my Grandma passed away in her sleep. She was 85. I didn't realise today was the day until Pop asked me the date over breakfast this morning. "The ninth I think... maybe... yes, definatly the ninth" I said. "Ahh" he said sagely, "three years to the day." He didn't say any more than that. Suddenly I remembered where that phonecall I got, three years ago, when my mother called me and told me the news. I still remember exactly where I was standing.

I can't say it was unexpected. In 1989, Grandma tripped at my cousin's 21st birthday party and was taken away by the ambulance. I was only 5 at the time, so the spectacle of the pretty blue and red lights is all I remember of that night. Her femur was broken and fractured in several places, her bones weak from age and Pagett's disease. A steel rod had to be inserted which made it even more difficult to walk. As time went by her body deteriorated. She suffered from emphysemia, and in 1994 was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease. In 2001, she moved into a nursing home specialising in dementia patients. By 2003, she had forgotten most of her life, including her children and grandchildren. That was the worst part of it all, before all this she was the life of the party, she knew everyone and everything and made everyone laugh.

So here's to you Grandma,
in 85 years you had 1 husband for 65 years,
7 children,
and 16 grandchildren.
That's pretty damn great record!