Saying Goodbye

Since August of 2017, I made arrangements with my family to help take care of my grandparents until they were no longer able to live safely in their own home. Having both worked and volunteered in nursing homes over the years, I came to the realization that no matter how many activities a facility had or how caring the staff was, they were still lousy places to spend the remaining days of your life. Some people adjust and far well in such places and sometimes families have no other choice but to move their loved ones into a nursing home. I understand that. I would have been fine with the idea if my grandparents had exhausted every other option available to them. However, our family became divided over the best way to care for my grandparents. I figured I could at least lend a hand by getting my CNA certification and offering to be their part time care giver. Between myself, my aunt and uncle, the three of us rotated care taking duties over the course of roughly two years. On the 4th of this month, my grandmother went to go be with the Lord. I was able to witness my grandmother's passing with a peace that I did everything I knew to do to keep her in her own home for as long as possible. She was never permanently moved into a facility or forced to spend her remaining days surrounded by strangers in a sterile environment. She died with dignity, with the people who loved her by her side. As sad as her loss has been, she entered eternity without pain or fear. It was a noble ending to a life well lived.