JustAGuyinHK

Just before Christmas, my grandmother fell and reinjured her pelvis. She is 98 years old, and made me worried that I wouldn’t see her again. My mother has also been ill for a while as well. These things made me book a flight home to Canada.

My grandmother has always lived on her own. She feels she doesn’t need any support. She cooks, cleans and takes care of herself up to this point. My mom lives about 2 hours away, depending on traffic. In talking to my Grandma, you don’t feel like you are talking to a 98-year-old woman but someone in her 70s. She is cognitively aware. With the fall, I was prepared for all this to change with the fear of falling again or maybe some decline.

When I met her, she was on her walker, going down the hallway without anyone around. She uses the wall more to guide her, which is fine. She talked a lot, asking me about my flight, how the food was, and such. Her speech is a lot slower and taking my time to ask or explain things. She wanted to go out and get some food since there were no groceries and we took her to the grocery store.

At the Metro with other shopers

We dropped her off at the store and I pulled out a cart. She walked around with her list picking up things and putting others back. I asked my mom if I should go with her, and she said no. She can do it on her own and did. I went to get some things I need which I haven’t packed and usually get on the way out while she pushed the huge cart (compared to her) around the store. I am guessing she used the cart to support her. It was impressive, but then again, that is my Grandmother.

It is Sunday morning (3:11 am) and we are not sure if she will go to church today and will let things go as they may. It feels weird to allow someone who is supposed to be frail wondering around the huge shop on her own, but if I try to help, I will get yelled at “I can do it on my own.” Yep she can.