My great-grandmother is currently in the hospital, unresponsive, sedated, and breathing only on a ventilator. On the 26th, we will be taking her off the ventilator and allowing her to pass. Beforehand, those of the family who wish will go to the hospital to say good-bye.
I have a lot of mixed emotions about this myself. The woman I loved died a long time ago, in my opinion, and was replaced by a bitter, bossy old woman.
However, this is my grandmother's mother. She has been taking care of her mother for years, often at the expense of giving love and attention to the rest of the family, and I am worried about her.
My uncle, whom I also have a somewhat shaky relationship with, is taking this very hard. He is in bad health himself, and cannot make the trip to say good-bye.
But most of all, I worry about my aunt. She is mentally handicapped...a 30-something who operates at around the level of a 5-year old. She and my great-grandmother are extremely close. At the moment my aunt knows nothing beyond the fact that she is in the hospital. We will tell her after all is over. She's never lost someone close to her before. I don't know if she'll understand. If she does, I don't know if she'll be able to express it. I don't know if she'll lose her innocence.
And I'm so tired of all this.