Gramps

It has been exactly a month since I've taken the time to sit down and examine what's been happening in my life.  In the last 30 days I've gone through a number of emotions, wrapped up my first school year abroad, said good-bye to my departing friends, moved to a new apartment, traveled to another new country, returned to the US, watched my parents move to a new city, helped my little brother move out on his own, and I am now sitting in my room at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane, WA (my last home of record).  


During the last week I have also watched my 91 year old grandpa take a rapid journey towards what will soon be the end of his life.  In the last twelve months gramps has undergone a list of medical treatments and surgeries that is nearly as long as the list of things I've done in the last month...spindle cell sarcoma on the knee, surgery to remove, radiation, renal cell carcinoma in the kidney, surgery to remove (yep, you can live with only one kidney), detection of nodules in the lungs, gallstones, Ecoli, surgery to remove gallbladder, nodules growing faster than expected, lungs filling with fluid, trips to the ER, and on Wednesday he got to take a trip to the hospital in an ambulance (for the second time).  Through everything the man has remained positive and his sense of humor always comes out of the surgeries and procedures entirely intact.  Unfortunately his cribbage game has steadily declined over the last year, but I'd say it's about time I finally started beating the old man after all of the times he's skunked me.


Today I got the phone call from my mom that the doctors were giving gramps about 24 hours until the end and although the thought of death is sad and difficult, I don't want him to suffer.  I know that my grandpa has lived a full life...and that he was surprised to have made it quite this long (if you've had the pleasure of hearing his experiences as a medic in WWII you'd know he never put money on making it home from the war).  He still recounts times spent with my grandma and things that my mom did to get in trouble when she was little.  He rarely complains and finds it funny when others gripe about little things (just ask him what he said to the new people who were complaining about the food at his retirement home--"It's a hell of a lot better than sea rations").  He takes pleasure in Wii bowling and winning a "Reese's Pieces" because his name was drawn on the day he wore his name tag to lunch.  Last year before his 90th birthday, gramps decided to grow a full beard and he thought it was hilarious to rebel against shaving.  I think he's going out a happy man with few regrets.  I wonder if I'll feel the same when God determines I'm through here.  I truly hope so.  

“Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows.”