Today is Saturday, September 29th, 2007 and it was a great day for me.
Today, I went for my second visit with my Grandam Bonnie (my Dad’s Mom). If you will remember, before two weeks ago I hadn’t seen her in a number of years but when I heard that she was ill and in a nursing home, I decided that I needed to do everything in my power to show her that I still loved her.
She wasn’t doing too well (to me) the last time I visited her with my Uncle Donny and Uncle Charles. She forgets a lot and repeats some things over and over and wasn’t very talkative that first meeting.
Today was a different day. I decided to go alone and just hang out with her. I got there around two o’clock and asked the front desk where I might find her. She was in the television room playing bingo with friends. I leaned over and told her hello and reminded her who I was. She wanted to go out in the hall and talk instead of trying to carry on a conversation with all the noise in the bingo room.
At first, she wanted to know how I found out where she was and I got the impression she didn’t remember my last visit. As a matter of fact, I am sure she didn’t. A funny thing though, during our conversation, she remembered that my oldest daughter Amanda had been with me the first time. She wanted to know what she had thought of her Grandmother, not having seen her. As we talked, she seemed to remember more and more about my last visit.
She was very talkative this time and she and I shared a lot of stories. She talked about her Mother and Father, my Grandfather, her old house, all of her children, and numerous other things. She told me where my Grandfather Milton is buried and how when it’s her time, she will be laid to rest next to him. I promised her that I would go to the grave and check on it and make sure there was a marker with both of their names on it.
In all, we chatted for around two hours or so, until I had to leave and go pick up Emily from my Mom’s. I learned a lot more about my Dad’s side of the family, which is always great.
You know, I was nervous at first because I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t want to see her all quite and non responsive. I remember her as so alive. She was always talking and laughing when I was a kid. Today I realized that there is still a lot of the her I know from childhood still inside her. We talked and laughed and loved. It was a great day. I can’t wait to go back.
By the way, when I left the nursing home, I went to the church graveyard where my Grandfather is buried. There is a place waiting for her when her time comes, right beside her husband of so long ago. It is a double marker with both their names, exactly where she told me it would be.
One last thing. She mentioned my Dad a few times while I was there. She so wants to see him before she passes over to the other side.
Dad, if you ever read this, please come home and see your Mom. I know if you do, it would make her more than happy. She loves you and she misses you. It’s the right thing to do.