During this past summer my entire family was saddened by loss of my mother. My mother was the anchor of my family. She was funny, had a great sence of humor, and through all of illness in the past 5 to 6 years she has always had a positive attitude and never complained. When it came to the point that I was no longer able to keep her at home with my family, we had to put her in a nursing home. This decision was not an easy one for me. I am one that feels that if the tables we turned, my Mom would take care of me, so why couldn’t I continue to take care of her??? After taking with Mom’s doctors and my family talking to my doctors, the decision was made. It was a good decision. Mom was the life of the party at the Nursing Home. She attended all the activities and had residents who had not participated in the past participating in crafts and other activities.
You may be wondering was all of this has to do with the “The Curiosity of a Six Year Old” During the 6 years that my mother was so sick, my 6 year granddaughter grew up with her G,G,O. (Great Grandma Omega), She got to know and love her GGO. At times they were inseparable. KayLee became a regular fixture at the Nursing Home. They were best buds. I think that it was so special, because so many 6 year olds don’t get to have a close relationship with their grandparents, but it was so special that she had this loving bond with her great grandmother.
After 6 years we had to make a very agonizing decision that we must put GGO into a Hospice program. Every day KayLee, Sophie and Timmy were there to play with her. She was very alert and loved seeing her. After about 6 days she lost her memory and slept most of the time but all kids faithfully came to see their GGO.
When GGO’s time with us was over, I think that KayLee took it harder than anyone else. At this time she was so wise and grown=up way beyond her years. She has grown up in Sunday and Church so she knew that GGO was in Heaven, but wasn’t clear on just how she would get there. Her mommy and daddy did a beautiful job explaining this to her.
At the wake at the funeral home she cried of course when she saw her GGO. She saw me touch Mom, so I guess though that this would be something that she should do also. To her surprise GGO was cold and hard…not soft and warm as she remembered. Her eyes got big and she took off running. A few minutes later she returned with her 6 year old cousin from Connecticut. Nolan had lived away from Illinois all of his life so he does not have the same attachment to GGO that KayLee has. The following conversation started…
KayLee…….Nolan…touch her,,,,,you won’t get in trouble!
Nolan……I don’t want to touch her…that would be gross!
KayLee……..Come on……what are you afraid of…..she’s dead….she won’t heart you
Nolan……No…not me….you touch her if you want to….but I’m not going to do it.
Kaylee……I already touched her….you should too….She is cold as ice and hard as a rock. She’s not soft and warm like she used to be. I don’t know what happens when you die,
but I didn’t think that would.
At that time they took off and we did not see they for about an hor or so.
grandma of three 