Posted by Cat Calzadillas

 

Goodbye, Grandpa

It was about eight o’ clock New Years Eve 1999 when the phone rang. My grandmother was on the other end of the line in a panic. She told my mom and dad that we needed to get to her place immediately. My grandfather had gone numb on his whole left side and could not speak. At that moment, I knew he was having a severe stroke and needed to get to the hospital. We were the lucky the hospital was only a ten minute car ride from my grandmother’s house. When we arrived at the hospital, he slipped into a coma. He looked so terrible as if someone had taken a paintbrush and painted him white. Doctors were called in to assess his condition and tell us what was going to happen. They told us that all we could do was give the situation and see what would come next. The damage had been done because he did not reach the hospital soon enough. The whole family spent all night and most of New Years Day at his bed side waiting for any change. He did not come out of his coma until noon New Years Day and that was only for five minutes. He could not speak, so he mouthed to us that he loved us and with a squeeze of my mother’s hand he passed away. We buried him the next day in his homeland of Palomas, Mexico. I stood over his grave crying and said, “Goodbye, Grandpa, I know we will see each other again one day.” I will never forget that New Years Day until my own dying day

 

 

 

 

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