Well for Glenn’s dad it has made his heart grow stronger.
About 6 weeks ago George fell at home while he was running a low grade fever.
His care giver was unable to get him back up so she called 911. They determined
it would be good to take him to the emergency room. They determined he had a
staph infection in his blood. He was immediately put in ICU and on heavy duty
Antibiotics. One evening the Dr. called to say, “It might be a good time to
come and see him”. We all took this to mean he was nearing death. To look at him you certainly would have
concurred. His lungs were not functioning well. His already compromised heart,
with its pig’s valve and pacemaker, was not functioning well. His color was
completely off, his legs swollen. When my husband and his sister were out of
the room, he called me over to his bead and through the air mask said “this is
it isn’t it.”
Since then he has gone on dialysis (they haven’t yet
determined whether it is long or short term). But he has steadily improved. He
is shaky and older. He has lost weight and at times has not been the same
mentally razor sharp man we know, but something else has changed. He has found
his motivation to keep going. He tells his caregiver “I just want to see Alex
again.”
How can this little girl have such a huge impact on a guy
like George?
George, or Opa, loved his granddaughters this I know. But I
don’t believe he has ever shown such remarkable gentleness and love like he has
for Alex. Even in ICU when we would show his a picture of her he would break
into the most heart melting grin. “That’s just incredible” is what he says. I
have taken to bringing out a photo of her if he is in a down mood, and
inevitably he melts.
Alex lives in Bolivia with her parents. She has seen Opa
once when she was 2 months old. She sat on his lap. There is a picture
prominently displayed in his house of the day.
For him, the absence of Alex has made him stronger.
For me, the absence of Alex makes me sad.
I know for both of us, the absence of Alex doesn’t make our
hearts grown fonder – that would be impossible. Her place in our hearts is filled
to the breaking point.
