Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Grandpa has left....

A month ago, I was suppose to blog on grandpa's health condition. He was not so well when we brought him to stay with us early this year. Some said when a person grows older, his life cycle will go back to being a child. I couldn't agree more. He would forget that he has eaten, thus asking for food every half hour. Sometimes, he even told us he hasn't eat any rice for 3 days. Gosh! If outsiders were to hear that, what would they think? His DIL (Mum) is torturing him? He would sometimes pee or poo in his pants, a few times a day. There were times where he ran out of pants. They were not drying fast enough for him to change. Another thing is his biological clock changed. His day will turn into sleeping time, and when nights come, he was like an owl. It won't be a big problem has he not tried to walk around and fell; or kept banging on the bedpost and left everyone with panda eyes. Grandpa also has bad habits that will make one feel so disgust just by seeing him. I hate to say this but his behavior makes the house kiosk!

His health deteriorated a month ago. I received a call from Mum after my facial session saying that Grandpa was having breathing difficulties and was admitted to ICU. That really gave me a shock. Although all this while I tried to get away from all the screaming and his disgusting acts, but the thought of him suffering makes my heart ache. Report came out to show that his right lungs has collapsed and the left one is not strong enough. He can only be on liquidize food, not thru his mouth but by inserting tubes thru his nose. When I visited him after he was transferred to normal ward. Only then I noticed how much he aged compare to last year. He's left with skin covering his bones. And tubes all over his bodies which makes him uncomfortable. The doctor has no choice but to tied up his hands when he tried to pull those tubes out.

After a week in hospital, Grandpa's children ( Dad and other siblings) decided to put him in the care center back in his hometown. They couldn't take care of him anymore as he required feeding thru tubes. If there's a slight mistake when feeding, the liquid might get into his lungs and prevent him from breathing. They made it a point to visit him whenver they were free. I too have a chance to visit him twice, on weekends. But that was it.

Barely after a month from his admission into ICU, he finally left peacefully on 19th August. We rushed back hometown when we received the call. As soon as we entered his house, he was lying there, in the middle of living room, naked with only a red cloth covering his private part. His body frame was like those malnutrition people in Somalia. I really cried my heart out. Before this we were prepared for this, I thought I was strong enough already. But the sight and thought that he will not get up again just got my tears to roll non stop. During the few days stayed in that house, I didn't cry anymore. I thought, "That's it. I has learned to accept it." But I failed again on the last day. When the people from funeral services started to pour in, my tears welled up again. The moment the casket's car come in, I was crying like mad. I went in to take a last look and cried for so long for the first time since Grandma passed away 2 years ago. I could only remember crying and crying and more crying......

Now into the second week already. This coming Saturday, we need to go back to celebrate Grandpa birthday for the first time. I will be strong...........

2 comments:

Precious Pea said...

So sorry to hear that...please accept my condolence.

chocmud said...

thanks precious pea.
I've been reading your blog, you are a great food commentator..keep it up.