Visiting Grandma and Grandpa

We just took a days drive to visit Grandma and Grandpa - visited Sesame Place - stayed two days with them visiting them in the nursing home/independent living home - and drove home a day. It wasn't easy per se...but was good. We don't do long drives that often, but God allowed us to have a wonderful car trip. I get really anxious in the car and He provided wonderful weather, pain management for my husband's back ,and wonderful behavior from the kids. We got lost many times but were able to work through it and learn patience.

Sesame Place was hot and crowded, but ultimately we enjoyed ourselves...probably could have spent $200 in a better way, but enjoyed more time together. The best 15 seconds was on the big water slide when my three year old screamed out "This is fun daddy!"

We visited Grandma in the nursing care facility. (Which by the way, is wonderful...great meals, very patient and gentle staff...) Initially her speech was slurred and she was very thin and frail...but she had two really good alert days with us. She took three walks in PT at one point and worked hard. She is a real trooper...not sure that I would want to push through the pain at 86 years old. She hadn't eaten in 5 days - and ate a few meals while we were there. Her stomach is too sensitive to pain medication, so she is off all of it (Can you imagine have a broken hip just repaired, a broken vertebrae, and knee that needs to be replaces and lots of arthritis and having no pain medication?) She needs help getting dressed and going to the restroom but she really tried to keep a good attitude. She wanted the girls to see her at her best.

Watching her and my Grandpa interact at this point in their life was breathtaking. Grandpa is staying downstairs in the Independent Living area of the facility while she is upstairs with the long term nursing care or rehabilitation. He visits her frequently in his scooter. When he leaves, he uses a lot of energy to move off the scooter, carry his oxygen, balance with his artificial leg, reach across her bed to kiss her and then tell her he loves her. They have been married 60 years. Those times were real tear jerkers.

When we left, my 5 year old prayed for her and Grandpa. I held Grandma in my hands, kissed her cheek and told her I loved her and we were proud of her. I do and we are. I covered her up in her bed and wondered if after we left, she would slip away to heaven in her sleep. She didn't - but had to be on oxygen for some of the day - first time for that.

Getting old isn't easy. There is only so much we can control. Our body breaking down is inevitable. I am praying that you can know the peace of God and have hope through Him and what He did for you on the cross when you reach that point in your life. I am praying for peace for Grandma and Grandpa and salvation for Grandpa.

Here are just a few pictures from the few days we were gone:
Nanny and Kat doing OT together...

Poppy and Meg on the scooter:

Kat and Abby Cadaby: