Je veux un baiser aussi!
As the end of the summer approaches the situation at home becomes increasingly difficult for both sets of my grandparents. I'm worried about how they're going to cope once I go back to school. Both my Oma and my mom's side and my Grandpa on my dad's side need more or less full care (feeding, bathroom, bathing, etc. . .). I've spent the last few months helping with this but reality is I need to get back to school. It's really tempting to say "There are more important things than school" and stay here with my grandparents but I don't think this would be the most prudential thing to do when I'm less than a year away from graduation. It's tempting though.
The fact of the matter is that relatively soon after I go back to school both my Oma and Grandpa are going to have to move into a nursing home. They're both making their way up the waiting list. A respite bed became available for my Oma for this coming week and so starting tomorrow she'll be spending one week in the nursing home to give my Opa the opportunity to catch up on his sleep and rest a bit (he hasn't been sleeping because she keeps him up all night crying, calling out, and getting out of bed). It was very difficult for my Opa to give consent to her going into the nursing home even for one week (though she'll likely be moving in permanently within the next month or two). It broke my heart to speak with him about it yesterday. With tears in his eyes he kept repeating over and over again "Ce n'est pas facil. Ce n'est pas facil." (It's not easy. It's not easy.) I told him that I couldn't imagine being in his position and that I couldn't say anything that would make his decision easier but that I would go pray for him. He told me that that's probably the one thing that could help Oma now. This simple but beautiful expression of Faith really touched me.
On a lighter note, I stopped by yesterday to visit my Oma and Opa and as I was going to leave my Opa said "Tu as oublié de me donner un baiser." (You forgot to give me a kiss.) So I went back and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I then turned to leave and my Oma looked at me with wide eyes and said quite indignantly "Je veux un baiser aussi!" (I want a kiss too!) She may not know who I am anymore, but she made it clear that she wanted a kiss from me before I left. She got her kiss.
The fact of the matter is that relatively soon after I go back to school both my Oma and Grandpa are going to have to move into a nursing home. They're both making their way up the waiting list. A respite bed became available for my Oma for this coming week and so starting tomorrow she'll be spending one week in the nursing home to give my Opa the opportunity to catch up on his sleep and rest a bit (he hasn't been sleeping because she keeps him up all night crying, calling out, and getting out of bed). It was very difficult for my Opa to give consent to her going into the nursing home even for one week (though she'll likely be moving in permanently within the next month or two). It broke my heart to speak with him about it yesterday. With tears in his eyes he kept repeating over and over again "Ce n'est pas facil. Ce n'est pas facil." (It's not easy. It's not easy.) I told him that I couldn't imagine being in his position and that I couldn't say anything that would make his decision easier but that I would go pray for him. He told me that that's probably the one thing that could help Oma now. This simple but beautiful expression of Faith really touched me.
On a lighter note, I stopped by yesterday to visit my Oma and Opa and as I was going to leave my Opa said "Tu as oublié de me donner un baiser." (You forgot to give me a kiss.) So I went back and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I then turned to leave and my Oma looked at me with wide eyes and said quite indignantly "Je veux un baiser aussi!" (I want a kiss too!) She may not know who I am anymore, but she made it clear that she wanted a kiss from me before I left. She got her kiss.
posted by DP | 1:04 PM
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