When you are old
Age is catching up with my grandma.. She used to be the slim type, always climbing up and down the stairs of her 3 story home. When my grandpa died, I was 6 years old. Ever since I could remember, she has been clinging on to any of her sons that lives with her or nearby. She has been an emotional wreck. Unfortunately, this dependency has taken a toll on her relationship with her sons and their wives. No one wants her to stay with them.
She’s been living with us for 4 years. It’s sad to see her in her shrunken up state now. What’s even sadder is the mentality of my uncles. Each of them ran as far as possible from her so that they would not need to take care of her. End of last week, granny’s health took a turn to the worse. She has been having osteo-artritis for a few months now. Doctor says when she cant control her bowel movements, that’s when she’s really sick.
My years of St John Ambulance nursing skills were put to full use this week.. As I cleaned up my granny’s bottom after she soiled her pants, I wonder if any of my cousins would dare to lift their hands to touch her, let alone clean her butt. I wonder also, if my aunt, who’s a former nurse, would want to take care of granny… I guess not. Granny is not her mom. Sighh… Whatever happened to filial piety??!!
December 18th, 2007 at 8:02 am
oh…how’s ur granny now?
hope that she’s fine now….will pray more for her…
I do stay wif my granny now, as u know, in ipoh….of coz little conflicts may occured between us due to the generation gap…..but somehow i feel hard to imagine the life without staying wif her and juz left her alone in other place…..i juz cant do sth like this2her…..
ur granny is so glad to hv a gud granddaughter like u….really…..
December 21st, 2007 at 6:54 am
In hospital I ve chances to get in touch with old patients who abandoned by their children..quite a lot!!! Some of them just “dump” them to us..most of them came in with severe dihydration & poor oral intake. When we finally “restored” them & want to sent her back. It’ll be hard task to inform their children…even informed via police, they came unwilly to “collect” their parents. U granny is blessed cos she still has u family’s care. God’ll bless u actions!! Angeline..do held on it!! Trust me..I know how hard is this job..I’m facing it almost every day in the ward!! Let pray for these selfish children!!