003: The Road to Recovery

Anna Evelyn: Grandma is slowly recovering and although she is definitely happier at home, something has changed...


Yesterday we had a family dinner at my moms and grandma was not as engaged as she usually is and was just so tired. When I got to moms she was resting in bed and told me that she was going to get better and start crocheting again. She would make all of us something to decorate our tables with. Just that one sentence seemed to tire her out. I stayed with her a few minutes despite her insisting I go join everyone else. 


Later my aunt RA (who had stayed with my mom for 3 days to help settle grandma back in the house) convinced her to come out for dessert. She came to the table and had a little to eat but again was distant. She did seem to enjoy her latest great-grandchild, Ariana who is 5-months, who was dancing on the lap of one of her other great-grandchildren, Rachel, who is 14 years old. 

Taken June 24, 2012: Grandma with Ariana.

My grandma and our family have received so much love and support throughout grandma's stroke, it is humbling... 


Last night was a dinner for 8 then we had 3 friends of my mom stop by to say hi. Grandma was gracious despite her lack of energy. She sat with her visitors for a few minutes and thanked them for visiting as well as for their prayers. She got emotional saying she was so grateful for everyone's support. She assured them that with God's help she would get better soon. Then she looked really exhausted so we took her to her room to lie down. 


Once everyone had gone she had to get ready for bed so we took advantage of that moment and asked if she wanted to come out and sit for a little bit. She sat with my brother C and Rachel and said she was dying. We assured her she wasn't and that she was home, that we loved her and everything would be ok. 


Then my aunt F from New Orleans called that there was a children's show on the Spanish channel that she loved so we put it on and she watched it. My mom sat next to her and she asked her 'are you comfortable'? She engaged and watched the whole show. I think that was a breakthrough...


Yesterday I struggled on whether to keep writing this blog about grandma. I thought she'd be back to 'normal' by now. That she'd be giving me all her sassy advice on life but she is not really engaging... yet.


But I have decided to continue because I am hopeful she will get better. And I felt that stopping would be giving up on her. She told me she just wants to be like she was before this stroke and I reminded her that every stroke makes it's imprint and there was always an uphill battle to recover and she always managed to tackle it. She gave a half-hearted smile - I'll take it!