(23 Aug 2014, 9:06 pm)Marcus wrote I remember the last time I saw my Grandad....
It was Saturday the 22nd March, and he had come out of the hospital on Wednesday the 19th March. I still didn't know exactly what was wrong with him. I just knew he wasn't well. My mam had been living in his bungalow with him, up in Pelton, and I was on my way back from Durham on a 21 when he rang me. He seemed his usual self (really talkative, nice and kind voice) and asked me if I wanted to come up. I thought for a minute, I had 2 options;
A) - Say no, and upset him. I would only say that because I wouldn't want to see him while he wasn't well.
B) - Say yes, and go up and see him.
I didn't want to upset him, so I just said 'yeah, yeah sure, I'll be about 20 minutes'. I hopped off the 21, and ran for the 8. I got up to his house, and said hello. My mam was sitting next to him on his bed, he was sitting in his armchair. I pulled out a Steak Bake, and told him I got him something to eat (I normally did this, and didn't know he actually couldn't eat much). He just shook his head. I sat on another chair, and we all watched the TV. After an awkward silence, my mam asked me where I had been on my travels. I joked about a bit and said I'd been to Darlington, and my grandad just smiled. Another 5 or so minutes went by of just the odd look. My grandad looked yellow (from the jaundice), and had lost a lot of weight.
I suddenly said I better go get the 13:22 back to Chester, and he put his hand out to me when I walked towards the door. I gave him a little high five, and he said 'Ta'ra Hinny'. That was the last time I ever heard his voice. I walked out the door, and looked back. He was looking at me, and I said 'see you later'. He then winked at me and I walked out of Thornton's Close, and to Pelton Bridge bus stop. I sat at the bus stop, and thought. I knew he was dying, by that point. Tears began to form in my eyes, and I couldn't help but think about that scene from Family Guy, where Brian was on the operating table while he was dying, and said 'you've given me a wonderful life, I love you all'. Thing is, he came back - my grandad didn't.
I've never been sure how he died. My mam just told me he went in his sleep, but my grandma (my dad's mam) said that she told me he (and I don't want anyone to take the piss, he was dying and couldn't help it - he could barely move, he was practically in a coma, expect he could open his eyes and say a few words) soiled himself, and when the nurses came, they tried to lift him out of his chair to wash him. They lifted him up, and his head just fell back. He was gone........
Only thing I can ever say to anyone with a relative who they love, cherish your time with them. All I want to do is go to Gregg's, get on a Lime and go up to see him and watch the horse racing with him while he sits in his armchair.
You'd have to be tough to cope with that - I couldn't for sure!