April 28th, 2015. This date is forever forged in my mind and has impacted the way I live my everyday life. My Aunt Nomie, the pillar of the Barrow family, passed away after a hard fought battle of cancer. Although she fought the good fight, the many treatments and chemotherapy she went through was unfortunately not enough to keep her healthy. Her unique and happy soul kept the family together through the years, taught me to always look for the good in any bad that came my way, and kept us dying of laughter in the worst of times. She lit up any room she entered with her smile that went from ear to ear, no matter the circumstance. She fought with strength, determination, and killer faith. After receiving the news on the morning of April 28th, 2015, I knew my life would never be the same. …show more content…
I sat in her room at her house with my Mom, Dad and Sister. She was asleep, curled up in a ball, rejecting any medicine we tried giving her. We knew her time with us was almost up but we didn’t want to admit it just yet. It was hard to look at her in the condition she was in: cold, skinny, and pale. My heart was aching and my mind was racing. I knew it wasn’t long before I had to say my goodbyes, but I didn’t want to face reality. Before leaving, I leaned over her hospital bed, hugged her tight, kissed her on her cheek, and said, “I love you.” She opened her eyes and said “I love you” back, with the strength she didn’t seem to have the entire day. That night, my heart was at
I had just walked into Annie’s room to find her screaming in pain. I ran to find the supervising nurse and rushed back to comfort Annie. Shortly after, the nurse came, fed Annie her medications, and walked out. Not a word was said. But I knew Annie was afraid, confused, upset; managing deep pain in her body. I knew she did not want to be alone, so I stayed beside her for a while, holding her hand until she fell asleep, telling her she would be okay. ================
It had been a cold, snowy day, just a few days after Thanksgiving. My grandmother became immensely ill and unable to care for herself. We knew she had health problems but her sudden turn for the worst was so unexpected and therefore we weren’t prepared for the decisions that had to be made and the guilt we would feel. Where would grandma live? Would she be taken care of? So many concerns floated around. A solution was finally found and one that was believed to be the best or so we thought.
My mom stopped at the hospital shop and got me a pad of paper, crayons, pencils and a pen. For breakfast they brought me eggs, toast and a tea bag with a hot cup of water. I ate the toast and a tiny portion of the eggs. I placed the tea bag in the cup of hot water and watched the color spread. A hospital chaplain came into my room to check on me, I asked if I could have honey for my tea. He said he’d see what he could do before leaving me alone. While waiting for his return , I began to doodle in the pad of paper. A nurse came in and took my blood pressure and then my breakfast tray. I enjoyed the presence of the hospital staff, it meant I was not
About three years ago, a show arrived on the Hallmark Channel that changed my life forever. I had no idea at that point how it would ultimately impact my life, but there was something about Cedar Cove that I liked. At first, it wasn't even my favorite show, but I remember noticing the sweet Peggy Beldon and loving her instantly. It wasn't until the following summer that I discovered this character was played by Barbara Niven, and it really wasn't even until it was preparing to go into production for the third season that I truly connected with this phenomenal lady. I was captivated by her character's story in season two (the slap heard around the world that I will never forget as long as I live), but as I began to discover the woman behind
During the last moments of my mother’s life she was surrounded by loved ones, as she slowly slipped away into the morning with grace and peace.
In 1984 Ronald Reagan was President of the United States. Prince’s song When Doves Cry was number one on the Top Hits chart. On a hot, summer night my mother goes into labor with her third child. At 12:18am on August 25, 1984 I was born to Aubrey and Betty Hall in a Dallas hospital. My mother chose to name me Heather after the Scottish Heather flower referencing our Scottish heritage. My father picked my middle name, Jane, after his favorite grandmother. I was born into a loving family consisting of a father, mother, sister, and brother. A few years later our family of five turns into a family of eight with the births of another sister and two more brothers. Three boys and three girls, we were practically the Brady Bunch. There has been so
When I entered her room, I was surprised to discover she appeared to be a dying senior citizen, rather than a woman in her twenties, only a few years older than me. Her depression filled the room with a heaviness that was immediately felt. She knew she wouldn't live much longer. And the thought of leaving her young toddler children, both under the age of five and her husband was excruciatingly painful. I was overwhelmed.
My Aunt Dottie has been the mentor through all my adversities. Dottie was my dad's sister; therefore, she knew how my dad truly was. When I told her about my dad lying to me she immediately started giving me advice. She began telling me all about my dad and what she had encountered with him. I was told stories that I didn't even know existed. My Aunt Dottie and I are alike in so many ways. She has taught me a lot in my life that has dealt with character. She is a great role model who helps others. She taught me that God never puts you through something if you could not handle it. My aunt is my go to person for anything that comes my way. She supports me in every way and gives me the best advice. She encourages me to do my very best and not
I stepped into the house that soon my sluggish grandma would be living in for the rest of her life. Now all I could think about was the change that it had caused in my life. But it surely wasn’t a bad change. I didn’t know it, but I had just found the last piece of the puzzle that I called my life.
In the year of 2004, my grandmother was diagnosed with Lung Cancer. My first thought was “My grandmother is going to die,” although, that was not the result I anticipated. It was merely a hasty thought that intersected my mind. Based on the information from the doctor, I wasn’t sure on the amount of time I would have left to share with my grandmother. During this time, I knew that I would have to cherish each moment to a greater magnitude. Oftentimes, daily events of life
It was June 6, 2011. I remember taking my mother to the County Hospital’s emergency room. She seemed extremely exhausted; her eyes were half-closed and yellow, and she placed her elbow on the armchair, resting her head on her palm. I remember it was crowded and the wait was long, so she wanted to leave. I was the only one there with her, but I did not allow her to convince me to take her home. I told her in Spanish, “Mom, let’s wait so that we can get this over with and know what’s going on with you. You’ll see everything is okay, and we’ll go home later on.” I wish then and now that would have been the case. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with colon cancer that had spread to many parts of her body including her lungs and kidneys. The doctor said to me not considering that I was a minor and my mother’s daughter, “Her disease is very advanced and we don’t think she will live longer than a year.” With this devastating news, I did not know what to do. I thought to myself that perhaps I should cry, or try to forget and take care of her as best I could and make her laugh to ease her pain.
My stomach weakens with a thought that something is wrong, what would be the answer I could have never been ready for. I call my best friend late one night, for some reason she is the only person’s voice I wanted to hear, the only person who I wanted to tell me that everything will be okay. She answer’s the phone and tells me she loves me, as I hear the tears leak through, I ask her what is wrong. The flood gates open with only the horrid words “I can’t do this anymore”. My heart races as I tell her that I am on my way, what I was about to see will never leave my thoughts.
This lady is the most wonderful person I 've ever met. She is old, affectionate, and intelligent. It took me eighteen years to realize how much this extraordinary person influenced my life. She 's the type of person who charms everyone with her stories and experiences. She always time for her family and friends. She is the kind of leader who does everything to keep her family together and in harmony. She is my grandmother.
Cathy is my mom 's stepmother. She has always been a really big part of my life. I chose her for my guided biographical study of an older person, because I know she has gone through a lot in her lifetime. She is very easy to have conversations with, and she is very open about the hardships she has been through. I also chose her because it was convenient. She decided to come visit for a few days in October, so I asked if I could interview her for class while she was here.
“She is just out of batteries” I told myself. In this moment I didn’t understand the enormity of the situation, I just simply thought she needed to recharge. I didn’t comprehend the masses of sobbing family and friends around me. I assumed this problem had a simple solution. My grandmother’s absence made sense to me in that moment. The fantasies my grandmother made for me provided me with a sort of shelter from the problems of the real world. My grandmother knew I would never understand her terminal illness or why she wasn’t around anymore. Our tales and adventures gave me understanding. She saved me grief and heartbreak by simply playing into my imagination. She redefined the real world into terms that a young child could understand. Although my grandmother’s strength faded over time her imagination always stayed strong. Her imagination will always be a memory I carry with me and a characteristic I will try and always possess