Remembering Grandma (My yearly tribute)
Nineteen years ago, my grandmother passed away from Alzheimer’s Disease. It was a terrible blow to me because she was the only one of my grandparents that was still alive. She was a strong opinionated woman and was well known (and loved) by everyone in her town. She seemed to know everyone as well as their family members and would always point out anyone that was related to us. I always thought she would have made a great lawyer, but she never did because she married at a young age and became a stay at home mom. My sisters and I always loved spending time with her because whenever we would visit, she would cook all of our favorite dishes, and she would take out her photo albums and tell us the stories behind the photos. Grandmothers are great like that!
During our last visit with her, I understood the cruelty of Alzheimers and its affect on everyone else. Although my grandmother was there physically, her memories had already disappeared. Each of us had to remind her of who we were and she could no longer tell us the stories behind the photos. We now had to tell them to her. I watched as this once strong woman required us to label the rooms in the house so she wouldn’t get disoriented. At that point, I realized that she was already gone. I told my husband that that person was just the shell of the grandmother I knew. What a cruel disease!
I mention all this because today is her birthday. I miss the stories and food, but mostly being able to call her and wish her a Happy Birthday. I guess what I want you to know is…Always value the time you have with your loved ones and remember to give them a big hug!
Writing From The Heart 
Happy birthday to your grandma! It sounds like she was such a special person. My grandmother’s birthday would have been on Monday. You’re inspiring me to write a post about her. Like you, I still miss her after many years. The contrast you paint between your grandmother when she was well and your grandmother at the end is really poignant. I’m glad you’re able to remember the earlier days.