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drewbearMy grandfather has an inoperable brain tumor the size of a small plum, and his hometown doctor thought it was getting bigger. That scared the piss out of me. My sisters and I have been very lucky, in that we still have, and like, all 4 grandparents. There have been no deaths in the family on either side since before I remember. And now it seems like it's all happening at once.
In addition to my gradfather's tumor, my grandmother (his wife) is becoming more senile every day, and it seems to be getting quicker. She is also diabetic, but forgets it because of the senility. We have to watch her constantly to make sure that she doesn't scarf down sweets and go into shock. And when one of my grandparents die, I believe that the other will also die within 6 months.
My grandmother on the other side is suffering from a multitude of "old-age" diseases, and has to walk with a cane. She also has a number of (benign) tumors.
Her sister-in-law, my grandfather's twin brother's wife, is dying. There is nothing that medical science can do for her now, and she is now out of the hospital, resting and waiting. We all know that she will die within the next 6 months.
Much of this has been building up over a long time, but it didn't really hit home with me until recently. I've known, in an intellectual sense, that my grandparents were old, and would eventually die. But it never seemed real in a visceral sense. I always *knew* they would die, but I never *believed* it. Now I do.
And the plus side, my grandfather had an appointment with his neurologist here today, and apparently the results are good. The tumor, if it's growing at all, has only grown a tiny amount, and appears to still be (relatively) benign. It's *very* good news. But I still wish the tumor wasn't there at all.
In addition to my gradfather's tumor, my grandmother (his wife) is becoming more senile every day, and it seems to be getting quicker. She is also diabetic, but forgets it because of the senility. We have to watch her constantly to make sure that she doesn't scarf down sweets and go into shock. And when one of my grandparents die, I believe that the other will also die within 6 months.
My grandmother on the other side is suffering from a multitude of "old-age" diseases, and has to walk with a cane. She also has a number of (benign) tumors.
Her sister-in-law, my grandfather's twin brother's wife, is dying. There is nothing that medical science can do for her now, and she is now out of the hospital, resting and waiting. We all know that she will die within the next 6 months.
Much of this has been building up over a long time, but it didn't really hit home with me until recently. I've known, in an intellectual sense, that my grandparents were old, and would eventually die. But it never seemed real in a visceral sense. I always *knew* they would die, but I never *believed* it. Now I do.
And the plus side, my grandfather had an appointment with his neurologist here today, and apparently the results are good. The tumor, if it's growing at all, has only grown a tiny amount, and appears to still be (relatively) benign. It's *very* good news. But I still wish the tumor wasn't there at all.
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Date: 2003-09-25 01:44 am (UTC)(HUG)
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Date: 2003-09-25 07:59 pm (UTC)*HUGBACK*