Question #1 Answered…

by Julie on 03.23.2009

From my plea for help the other day, I received 3 questions… here is the first question and I hope it will provide a little more insight into my life here. I was going to try to answer them all tonight, but this one took me a long while to answer. Anyway… keep the questions coming… feel free to post any that you have in the comments – I will do my best to answer them.

Mich asked – “If you could go back in time and re-live one day of your life which one would it be and why?”

This was really hard for me… I thought about choosing a day that was happy or maybe one that I would have the choice of taking a different path in life than which I took. But instead I chose a day that I will never forget (and hope to never forget). It is the day my grandmother died. I was a freshman in college when her health took a turn for the worse – the cancer was back and had metastasized in other parts of her body. I remember seeing her at the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday time before her death in January and remember thinking that she was doing really well. I don’t know if this was indeed the case, or if I was just thinking in the hope that I had that she would get better.

On the day that she died, my mom had called a friend of the family that worked at the school and had me taken out of my Political Science class. As the friend took me to my grandparent’s condo, I remembered thinking how surreal this all was. I know that we talked on the way – but for the life of me I don’t remember what about. The only thing I remember was going down Lincoln Ave between 16th & 24th Streets. And to this day, every time I travel that road – I think of that day.

I joined my parents, uncles, aunts, and some cousins that had gathered at the house sometime around 11 or 12 (I just remember it being close to lunch). I’m still not sure – and not sure I want to ask – why my dad & mom had me pulled from class that day. But I am ever so thankful for it. I was able to say goodbye to my grandmother and tell her I loved her one last time. I remember being at her bedside with my family when she took her last breath and went to be with God. The rest of the day was filled with tears (as I am again right now thinking about this), hugs and comfort among my family – but I honestly don’t remember much of it.

But if I could repeat a day again, as sad as this one was… I would do it again – so that I could give my grandmother one last hug and tell her I loved her again.

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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Mich March 23, 2009 at 9:47 pm

thank you so much for sharing that with us. it very hard to pick just one specific day and to find one that is so emotionally important is very special.

you are also so very lucky to have had the chance to say goodbye. thats something that i will always wish i could have done.

2 Jenny Brazil March 27, 2009 at 1:18 am

Thank you for sharing that with us. I’ve always thought I was lucky because I too had the chance to sit next to my grandfathers bedside and tell him I loved him and goodbye.

3 BLOGitse December 24, 2009 at 9:41 am

Beautiful posting. Thank you for sharing it…
Merry Christmas!

4 Karen December 29, 2009 at 2:24 pm

Such a lovely post. My last grandmother is still with us, though she's been bedridden and unable to effectively communicate for over two years. I try to take every opportunity to see her since I never know when it will be the last time.

You have a really nice blog! I'm stopping by from SITS and I'm so glad I did!

5 Lisa - Alterity March 1, 2010 at 12:15 pm

What a touching story. I can totally relate to the whole not seeing how sick she was. I did that with my brother as he was dying of melanoma cancer a few years back. I think my brain refused to let me see him backslide. But I only hurt myself…it made it that much harder to let him go.
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6 Heather ~ Acting Balanced Mom March 1, 2010 at 3:48 pm

What a beautiful story and while it would be a sad time to revisit I think it would bring you peace…
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7 wendiwinn March 1, 2010 at 8:27 pm

i remember the day my grandmother died. and to give her one last hug would be amazing.

found you via harriet’s comment challenge!
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8 April March 2, 2010 at 7:59 am

Hi just stopping by from Harriets

I wish I had the chance to tell my grandmother I love her one more time. But I was overseas when she passed away.
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9 Ada March 3, 2010 at 4:31 am

Hello I am up for the challenge. I am sorry to hear abotu that. .Just think that she is in the arms of our Almighty God..

I hope you could do the same in my blogs.. take care.
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10 Laura March 4, 2010 at 4:26 pm

I’m like you, I would probably go back to the day my dad died. I had talked to him that morning, but I don’t remember what about or if I had told him that I loved him. He died of “sudden death” & very unexpectedly.

Stopping by from “I am Harriet” (but of course, I’m not Harriet).
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11 Laura March 4, 2010 at 11:07 pm

I try not to have regrets. But I was living in another country when my Grandmother died. I did talk to her a few months before I got married and moved away. But, I miss her. I wish I had been able to say more.

Good luck with 1,000 comments. I’m only up to 49.
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12 Xmasdolly March 5, 2010 at 3:47 pm

Hi found you by Harriet’s and we’re supposed to visit everyone on the list so you’re no.1.. as far as your question and answer. Wow, that is so sweet. I miss my grams too. She was cool and funny and man could she cook. She was from Palermo Sicily. A 4’6″ bundle of joy.
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13 Frugal Vicki March 5, 2010 at 3:48 pm

I’m sure that was really hard to write, and it is interesting that this is the day that you picked. My grandfather died right before my son was born and I had to miss his funeral. It was really hard to get closure after that.

14 Harriet March 7, 2010 at 10:58 am

Hi there.

I’m stopping by to thank you for taking on the Comment Challenge.
Good luck and thanks!
Harriet

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15 Kelley March 10, 2010 at 2:09 pm

Hi stopping by from the Comment CHallenge!

have a great week
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16 Crystal March 12, 2010 at 11:45 am

Hey girl, I’m following you for follow friday. And saw you on the comment challenge. I wanted to participate but I couldn’t figure out how to add the button.
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17 38traci March 14, 2010 at 9:11 pm

Hi. I came over from Harriet’s Challenge! What a poignant post. I just lost my father-in-law and just as you indicated some of the day is crystal clear and some is a blur. What well written memory of your grandmother.
:-)
Traci
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18 Night Owl Mama March 16, 2010 at 12:31 am

OK NOw I’m crying! I so wish I had that one extra chance to change the last day I was with my grandmother. Unfortunately it was under bad circumstance and the day she passed we were suppose to spend the day together getting her hair done. Her birthday is at the end of this month and I think about her all the time. Seems that a lot of people are writing about grandma’s this month and I”m sure she is just nudging me to let me know.

HUGS to you I too wish I could give my Grandma one more HUG

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