October 24, 2013

23 // Life and death

I woke up on the 22nd of October and turned 23. I felt sorry for myself because I was sick as a dog but mostly because at 4.16pm the day before, my Nanna left us to be with the angels.

Most of my childhood Christmases involved a huge Eurasian lunch with approximately 15 people squeezed into Nannny's tiny one-bedroom apartment. We would take turns eating and us kids would always end up in her bedroom playing games and jumping on her bed.

She was a tiny lady with a fiery spirit. I think you become fiery when you have 9 sons and a daughter. As we all got older, we stopped doing the Christmas thing. My last memory of my Nanna was her frail body sitting in her chair - she barely recognized me. Dementia had slowly taken over and she wasn't aware of too much anymore.

Today we sent her off with a service in the church my father was baptized. It was hard to see him in pain. She was 88 and lived a big life. I will miss her very much but we will meet again.


6 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry, sweet girl. Your Nanna sounds like a wonderful woman, ten children is a big life indeed, what a legacy she must have left! Thinking of you in this hard time of letting go xx

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  2. I'm so sorry. My grandmother died this year as well and it was really hard, especially as she just missed out on meeting Clementine. Thinking of you and your family x

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    1. Thank you, Gaby. It's one of those things, isn't it. She lived 88 years but it's still difficult to feel like we ever have enough time with the ones who leave us.. Sorry for the loss of your grandmother too, dear x

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  3. So sorry for your loss. Hope you are ok.

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    1. Thank you sweet girl. I am doing good - I know she's watching over us! x

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