The Loss of A Very Special Woman

This picture was taken of myself, with my mom, my grandmother Ruth, and Big A, when Big A was just 2 months old (so 8 years ago!). On Sunday morning we lost GG Ruth. Even though, given her age (95), we knew this day would be coming soon, it was still a shock. I think there is a part of everyone who knew her that somehow she would always be around. She was certainly a force to be reckoned with!

Even though she hasn't been herself for the past few years, she still charmed everyone she met. Each time I came to visit, the staff from the nursing home would pop in to her room to tell me just how much they adored her. Her quick wit, strength and intelligence were still evident even to those who didn't know her beforehand.

When I got the news, it felt the same way it did when my grandpa Joe died, and I was just 13 at the time. Like a punch in the gut. My grandma never really got over his death, by the way. There was some serious love between those two. Ironically, in the last few years after dementia set in, one of her delusions was that he was still alive but had run off with another woman.

Of course, my mind still keeps going back to the last time I saw her this past spring. As per usual, she slept most of the time I was there, except the last day, when she was lucid and alert for a whole hour. I will forever cherish those last moments with her. My brother, who was in NYC on Sunday when she passed away, was really lucky to get 3 good hours with her a few days before. My parents are in Europe, on their way home today, so the funeral is next Sunday. I have already booked my flights and hotel. This trip to NYC is going to be a difficult one. But I am comforted by the fact that many of my wonderful cousins are taking the time to fly in for the funeral. She was special to everyone!

Although I feel very sad, I know she had a good and long life, and that we were all very blessed to have had her in ours. I am also glad that she got to meet my children.

Here's to G.G. Ruth, a very special and amazing person, loved and admired by many. She will be dearly missed.

Comments

Book Review: The A to Z of Children's Health

Hey there, welcome to Monday! We had a delightful, relatively quiet weekend. How was yours? Hopefully no one in your home was sick...there is a lot of nasty stuff going around these days. If you're a parent, than you have probably spent far more time that you would like to desperately searching Google and/or parenting books trying to figure out if your child's rash, cough or fever warrants a trip to the doctor or if there is something that can be done to treat it. It's hard not to worry that it could be something more ominous that just an every day infection and while you'd make yourself (and everyone around you) nuts if you panicked every time your kid has the sniffles, as a parent, you naturally want to do everything in your power to prevent your child from harm. Recently I was sent The A to Z of Children's Health , written by doctors Jeremy Friedman, Natasha Saunders, and Norman Saunders, of Toronto's very own Hospital for Sick Children . One of th...

How to Look Like a Celebrity

Okay, I know you're going to be interested in this post! I am sure virtually every woman in North America has wondered how Hollywood celebrities achieve such 'perfect' bodies. Well, at CAN FIT PRO last week, one of Hollywood's top fitness trainers, Eric the Trainer , was there to tell us fitness professionals the secrets! Eric the Trainer, gave several presentations, and I caught the one on Celebrity Secrets, and it was most interesting!!! I also found some of what he said rather disturbing. First off, he was very upfront about the fact that celebrities come to him for improve their appearance. Not to improve their health or athletic performance. To look their best. He admitted that his approach then, is entirely dedicated to that end. Male and female celebrities are trained in completely different ways because Hollywood wants women to be lithe and thin and in his words, "look like they dropped out of heaven looking this way without every having ...

Blackfly Coolers: Product Review

Summer is over! Well, at least if you're a student. Officially it doesn't end for a few weeks, and it certainly still feels like summer. Yeah, I hate it. This f*cking hot, humid weather needs to end NOW! We made the most of our last weekend of the summer with our annual trip to the CNE on Friday, with a crowd of friends. It wasn't unbearably lot, thank goodness, and the girls and their friends had a blast on the rides. Saturday I had to work, and Sunday was errand day. Monday we took the girls berry/apple/pear picking but didn't last long due to the heat. I organized the house to prepare for the construction workers starting back up yesterday, while Adam took the girls for a swim in our neighbourhood pool. Yesterday was the first day of school. Grade 2 and Grade 5. Yep, the girls are growing up. We are fortunate that the girls don't have much anxiety about school, they are so much more confident than I ever was as a kid! But now, in the midst of our reno ch...

Healthy Life Lessons

Search This Blog