My Grandmom is my Girlfriend

Bad news today. My 89 year old spunky grandmom will be admitted once again into the hospital tonite. She is now dehydrated from complications of Diverticulitis.

This will be her 8th or 9th trip to the hospital in the last 6 months. It's hard to let go of someone you love so much and watch them slip away further into bad health. Grandmom is the glue that holds my extended family together.

When I was a kid, I heard stories of how her and my grandfather ran a corner grocery store in the "old Italian neighborhood" of Philadelphia. She got to know the people in the area very well, often letting her heart lead the business instead of her financial sense...a loaf of bread here and a bit of meat there to anyone who may need it.

Grandmom is the first generation born in this country. Her mom, Sebestianna, immigrated at 16 leaving her family behind in Sicily. She came to this country at the request of her older brother's hopes of marrying his friend, Giuseppe. The arranged marriage took place and my Grandmom and her brother were the first of the children to be born into this country.

When I think of Grandmom, I don't think of that soft spoken white-haired bun old lady knitting scarves in a rocking chair.

Instead, I think of a woman who loved to work and be independent...taking walking trips to the grocery store (never drove), making meals for her working grown children to pick up at her house during the week. Monday was Chicken Soup during the winter or Summer Stew in the Summer. She made the standard "Grandmom pound cake" with homemade chocolate frosting for each and every birthday....there were a lot of birthdays too.

She worked in the dietary department at the local hospital, putting trays together for the diabetic patients. She worked at the sandwich counter at K-Mart in the 70's.

She made me jello when I was sick and always provided a place to stay when my parents were away on a trip. In my 20's her and my Gramp moved only a few blocks from my childhood home so taking a walk to Grandmom's on any given night was typical. We would watch Wheel of Fortune together or Entertainment Tonite.

She loved watching the Country Music Awards and could tell you anything you wanted to know about the country singer's families....like they were her own kids.

When my Grandpop Angelo died 16 years ago, so did her heart. "My Angelo" she would often begin her talk to him at night before going to sleep..hoping his spirit would stay with her as she gave him the play by play on the day's events.

She would watch the Eagles football games with the guys often getting just as upset as they were when a play didn't go well.

When I went through my nervous collapses during my 20's my grandmom's quiet house was a place I sought out serenity....She would often rock back and forth on the chair and tell me to "Pull myself together and be strong". Those words I keep in my essence when I feel myself slipping on the worry train.

My grandmom never ever wants to hear anything bad about anybody she knew. IT isjust a no-no. No gossip, no ill-tempers. To her, everyone has their good/bad traits and it just isn't acceptable to bring the bad to the forefront....she only chooses to see the good.

I'll write more about Grandmom later but for anyone reading this today, please keep her and my family in your prayers. She's such a treasure to me.