Saying good bye. My Opa (Grandpa) passed away Sunday January 29th. Rick and I had just returned from Maui, when Opa fell and broke his hip, and ended up in the hospital. My Mom called on Friday and said his system was shutting down. Saturday morning I chatted with Rick for some time, debating whether I wanted to go to the hospital or not. I didn't want to see him in that condition, and I didn't want to say good bye. My wise man said something along the lines of you think you are doing it for him, but in the end you are doing it for you. I went early Saturday morning, no one else was there. Sat in the room with the morning light coming in, he was on a lot of pain medication, but had brief moments consciousness. I sat in the room for two hours, and talked about all the great memories I had as a kid. I got to tell him I loved him, and say good bye.
The first 8 years of my life I spent a fair amount of time with my Oma and Opa. They got divorced, and powers beyond an 8 year old control left me estranged from him for over twenty years. In 2007 he ended up in the hospital, I had a family of my own and wanted them to meet the man I had such found memories of. In a way it was like time hadn't passed. He suffered from dementia, and it seemed to get worse, but each time we went to visit him at Hearthstone, he would relive his days growing up in Cooperstown, and his time in the military. I cherished the time I did get with him, and grateful my children had to the opportunity to meet him.
Saying good bye is hard, and weeks later I catch myself realizing, he no longer exists physically here on this earth. We don't always get the chance to say good bye to those we love, and I am grateful I had that chance.
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| Opa in Zell am See, Austria |
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| 1983 I remember getting my Annie wig with Oma and Opa in California, and dressing him up with it |
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| 1980 |
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| 1979 sledding with my cousin Jeromy |
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| 1982. My Grandparents went to Austria each year, and I always got excited to go to the airport! |
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