Tuesday, August 08, 2006

The other side of the picture



My grandmother doesn't like having her picture taken anymore. In the past, she would just laugh it off, or tell us to take a picture of someone else, but she would relent in the end. Not so anymore.

Yesterday came the news that the malignant melanoma had reoccurred after last years surgery. After researching it a bit I learned that a return of this sort of cancer is usually untreatable.

I have gotten the feeling sometimes that my grandmother has been waiting to join my grandfather who passed away a year and half ago. I wonder how this news will affect her. Is this what she was waiting for? Did she know all along? Is she relieved to finally know? I don't have these answers yet. I don't know if I'll get them. My work in hospice has not prepared me for this side of the picture. The side of the family member.

I want to tell her 'Good Luck'. Good luck with your death and in your afterlife. Good luck and don't be scared.

I writing about this here because I am hoping that my grandmother will utilize a hospice in her town. I'm hoping that my experience with hospice will help me. And I think she has 6 months or less.

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