Godspeed Gramps

I don’t normally get too personal here. Maybe once in a while but never too in depth. I guess today is a first.

My grandfather had been sick for a while now and had been admitted to the hospital last week. On Thursday morning I rented a car and drove to Kelowna, hoping to see him before he passed away.

I went straight to Kelowna General when I got into town and relieved Mom and Dad. Everyone had been taking shifts staying with him in the room. I stayed until 8PM when my aunt arrived to stay overnight as she had been doing since Gramps went in. They did their best to make sure he wasn’t alone.

Friday morning I returned to sit with him again. There isn’t much to do. You just sit there and hold his hand in hopes that he knows that someone is there with him. If he looked uncomfortable, I’d go get a nurse and they would give him some medication for pain. “They’re gonna juice you up Gramps.” After the nurse would leave I’d tell him that the nurse was a hottie.

Early Friday afternoon, Gramps passed. I held his hand and looked into his eyes and told him that I was there. “How we doin’ Gramps? Don’t worry, everything’s fine.” It was all very peaceful. When I was sure it was over I got a nurse and asked her to confirm it for me.

The doctors and nurse’s at KGH are absolutely first rate. They fought hard to keep him in the private room and they did it. They did everything in their power to make sure he was taken care of and comfortable. They are under appreciated and over-worked but our family really appreciates the work they did.

It’s been 83 years Gramps. We’re all gonna miss you but you’ve earned the rest. Tell Gramma that everyone says hi.