Ode on a grecian urn...
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This is a self-portrait of my grampa taken on his cell phone :)
I have always been meaning to write about my grandad who is by far the most awesome person I have come across. I have lived with him all my life and I have seen him transforming into a very old sick man from..well..a healthy old man.
He served in the Indian army for what seems like an eternity. Thanks to his stories about his army life. His mental age is not more than 25 years, anyday. He thinks the way I do in many ways although he can get painfully annoying at times. I guess that comes with the wonderful package called "old age". He gets extremely repitative at times. And I don't think people understand what it feels like to be told something 20 times non-stop. I am not even exagerrating here. He married my grama when he was 30 years old (She was 16! Yikes!). They NEVER got along too well but I guess, they learnt to live with each other over time. Their fights couldn't get any sillier. They could be the only reason I think about not getting married :).
My grampa is stubborn, authoritative, loving ( but has a weird way to express it, mostly by shouting)and organized. He is the only 86 year old gadget freak I have seen! He has a cell phone (although he is at home 24 7) because he believes it is a "necessity". He is weird in many cute ways. Yes, I blame the weirdness on the genes. He has a damn bell near his bed to call for my grama. No no. It is not a bell that goes "Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring". This goes "Jingle bell jingle bell...". He talks to me about everything including his escapades as a young boy.
He used to be a bundle of energy, always wanting to know what I am upto on the computer, which boy I am talking to over the phone, messing around with the dvd player, eating every edible item in the kitchen. Now, he is just old. Very old. He has lost 20 kilos over a matter of few months. He hardly eats anything. He cannot think of a day without his oxygen cylinder. He doesn't talk as much.
Thatha (as I call him), is pertrified of death. It is pretty surprising, considering he is from the Army. When he feels a little uncomfortable, he will want to be rushed to the hospital. I remember when I had to take him to the hospital at 3 am. The doctor said he was about to leave and that there is pretty much nothing they can do about it. They tied up his hand and legs as he was unconsciously moving under the influence of drugs. I waited outside the glass door, staring at him, asking him to hold on. A few hours later, his pulse was almost back to normal. The doctors said it was a miracle. Thatha has had close encounters of this kind one too many times. But I know for a fact that he will not leave till he WANTS to. He has the will to hang on and enjoy every breathing moment of his life.
I feel extremely sad seeing him this way, right now. But I just hope he does not suffer. He has been a dad to me and I cannot possibly imagine a day without him.
Grandma and Grandpa, tell me a story and snuggle me with your love. When I'm in your arms, the world seems small and we're blessed by the heavens above.
-Laura Spiess
Labels: Genes, random thoughts, Thatha
posted by Pri @ 9:49 AM
Comments: 16
