There are some people that we meet in our lives that leave the biggest impressions on us. We all have one or maybe two that we will remember with lots of love until our last breath. This is no different for my brother or me.
Our Grandma. She is not our biological Grandma but she was the best Grandma us kids could ever have hoped for. We loved her dearly and Al and I have so many wonderful memories of her.
But because life can be cruel, things sometimes become tainted. Lives drift from pain and hurtful words, and this is what happened to Al and me. It isn’t important what happened because I have tried to fix it but can’t.
But for Al he has never forgotten her. Even today with days left on this earth he has asked for his loving Grandma. I have reached out with snail mail and emails but with no replies received.
Today, the Hospice nurse gave me another option I could turn to. Another way to make Al’s last wish come true. Tonight after supper I decided I would try the idea. No, it was not a choice, I had to. This is Al’s last days, his last wish, so I dialed the number.
Our Grandma is 98 years old and lives in a nursing home in Florida. I dialed, and it rang and rang. I almost hung up thinking they were busy, but I knew this was something I was granting for Al so I remained on the phone.
A lady said hello. I asked for our Grandma’s nurse and was transferred. When the nurse got on the phone I explained who I was. I told her about Al and how he had very little time left. I told her my brother is no longer able to communicate but he so wished to hear Grandma’s voice one more time.
She was so kind and she took the phone down to Grandma’s room and explained the situation. I had the speaker phone on so I could intervene when need be. I heard Grandma’s voice and instantly I started crying.
Al gasped for air and then took several quick breaths and then gasped for air again. He was listening to her words. Al, this is Grandma. Al, can you hear me? Al, this is Grandma. I have always loved you. I love and miss you so much.
I saw tears falling from Al’s eyes. My own tears were dropping all over Al’s arms. I cradled Al’s head in my arms as I hugged him and listened to her voice for the next few minutes. The nurse took the phone then from her and told me Grandmas was crying.
I felt so darn bad. I had caused her to cry, and yet I knew I had to fulfill Al’s last wish. I told the nurse to tell Grandma that we both loved her and I heard her repeat the words to our beloved Grandma.
The nurse hung up and I ended the call. Silence filled the room with only the motor of the air-bed running. I rocked my brother the best way I could and I could feel a sense of release from him. He looked up into my eyes and I saw tears through my own blinded tears.
I hope that I have done all for my brother that I could possibly do. I hope he feels now he can go. Al can no longer talk the past two days; but I know his heart is swollen with love for the voice he heard.
Terry, dear, you have gone way above and beyond the call of duty for Al. I hope, when he draws that last breath, that you will know in your heart there was nothing more you could have done.
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I feel now that I have done all that I can do. I will wait with him for the angels to come. Hugs
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Terry I cried if hard reading this. You made two people happy with that phone call both Al and your grandmother. Blessings to all of you.
ivonne
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thank you Ivonne. I hope I have helped Al to let go and be at peace
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God Terry this has me bawling like a baby…I can feel the love through the cyber air. I am so glad you could do that for him and think what it has done for your grandma! Such blessings!
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I hope she enjoyed talking to him as much as he loved hearing her voice. Hugs my friend
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Dear Terry please do not ever think you could have done anymore for Al,no one could.The love and care you have given Al is absolutely unsurpassable.Please Terry dont doubt yourself,the compassion , the care the love you have shown is wonderful,you are an Angel.Im so sorry that Al has suffered so much,unfortunately this thing inside us destroying us bit by bit is a cruel and spiteful ,vicious animal that no doctor anywhere can control.We who suffer and despair have only those who love us to try to comfort and care for us.The look of despair and grief in my beautiful wifes eyes while she nurses me and cares for me are so hard to take,she is trying so hard,exactly like you Terry. I am sure that Al saw that look in your eyes,asmuch as you try to hide it.He loves you so much,and will always be thankfull for having such a courageous and wonderful sister.Nothing or no one can ever take that away from him or you. In years to come you can look back and remember all the good things ,Al will make sure of that as he watches over his beautiful sister from high above.Ihope that soon Als and your suffering will be over.I havent stopped thinking of you both for weeks ,my heart is with you both.We are so far away here in Wales but beleive me that we are thinking of you constantly. Ihope your god takes away the pain and gives Al his wings soon .may your god love you both and keep you always Michael
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I hope that I was able to fulfill Al’s last request, so that now he can let go and receive his heavenly body. I feel that even though we are miles apart our hearts are connected as if we lived next door to each other. Tell you beautiful wife my arms are around her. I am hugging her for being your hero. God bless the both of you. I think of you both often
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Because he is in his own bed in his own home, because you are there with him without distractions, because you are the very best sister and caregiver -He is able to fulfill every last wish and desire he has before he graduates to heaven. Thank you for all you have done for Al.
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thank you Susan. I hope I helped him to feel like he can let go. He deserves it. He has fought hard
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accidently clicked on the thumbs down – did not mean to
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What a beautiful gift for you all, Terry.
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thanks
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God bless you for sending Al off on his journey with love and dignity. Our prayers are with you and with him. We pray that he will hear the voices of those who love him on the other side and that he will slowly drift off following their voices home.
We send comfort and strength your way.
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thank you so much Granny. I hope I helped him to let go
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That was a wonderful act of love. Blessings and strength to both of you.
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thank you Tiny. I was just trying to help him
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Again, I cry… Your testimony of love and hope here was written out so beautifully, I honestly felt your every emotion. And then I listened to this song…and, by the end of it, I only wished I was that 12 year old girl again getting to know my own, one and only, grandma before she passed away at the age of 98. For such a short sweet time in my life, she touched my heart so briefly, but left a legion of profound memories that will last a lifetime I’m sure. For the most, ours was a long distance relationship… only the miles kept us apart, but the memories kept her close in my heart.
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there is something wonderful to be said about the love between a grandma and grandchild. I am happy you had some time with yours and she was able to leave you with heart felt memories. Hugs my dear friend
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I’m so glad that you both received that gift. It was for you too Terry xo
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I did what I could to help Al to let go and go to heaven where he will live pain free and with God
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Yes but there was a gift for actually all three of you there.
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there was a healing, a wonderful gift of hearts and love coming together once again
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A jewel in the midst of a very painful time. xo
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I hope that you know that with getting to know you much better through the months, that you are actually the diamond
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terry – you’re beautiful and don’t you forget it!
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what a beautiful thing to say to me my friend, thank you so much
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Wonderful!
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I could feel Al’s peace fill him up while he listened to her voice
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Terry, this was beautiful. I’m so glad you did that for your brother. Having come from a dysfunctional family, I understand how painful and difficult that must have been for you, and I praise God that you put your own feelings aside for the sake of your brother. What a beautiful, selfless act of love for your brother. God bless you Terry.
Love,
Cheryl
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I had to Cheryl. Al deserved to leave with no unfinished business, plus it was so wonderful to hear her voice again. love and hugs my friend
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Thank you for sharing this article quite interesting and, hopefully true happiness rays began to warm our hearts and make the heart glad, when we can share it with sincere to each other. Affectionate greetings from Gede Prama 🙂
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thank you so much my friend. I know Al was pleased hearing her voice
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You have given Al all the closure that you can… and I believe he will be at peace…. God is with you…. Diane
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I could feel the peace coming over him as he listened to her voice. It was almost magical. thanks Diane
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Terri,
There probably isn’t a lot most 98 year olds can do to make a person happy, but your calling your Grandma helped her feel useful and loved, and so that was a good deed that served both her and Al. I hope it made you feel that you had worked a little magic too, because obviously that’s what happened.
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As I could feel peace coming over Al as he listened to her voice it did seem almost magical. Thank you Naomi for understanding it so well
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You’ve been the best sister and have made Al’s life so much better for having been in it. Hugs and prayers, Terry.
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I just do what any sister would do for her brother. But I can say I was so glad I did as I could feel peace flowing through him. thanks dear Becky. I love hearing from you
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Oh Terry, you continue to amaze and astound me. What an awesome thing you accomplished. A true blessing for all involved. Perhaps God is showing us more of his plan for why he had Al live a bit longer. Hugs to you both.
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I love your thoughts. Through the wicked tongue Al and I were separated from our wonderful Grandma, but through this wicked illness feelings were healed and love was expressed. I can feel Al more at peace now than ever. love and hugs Linda
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Beautifully sad Terry. So happy that you were able to contact your grandma’. And – so very touching the words & feeling that she shared.
{Hugs} to you & Al
xoxo
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Hello dear RoSy, you have stuck by our sides through some good and sad posts. I thank you for being our friend. I am glad I made the call for Al. There was much healing in those few moments. hugs
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Terry, your writing is so beautiful as always. I’m sorry I haven’t been on here for a while. I haven’t written or read anything since July. I had no idea Al was at this stage. I pray he is peaceful and so are you. You have continually gone above and beyond and I hoe you continue to write as you enter the next chapter in your life.
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so nice to see you. Thank you for your comment, I love it
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(((Terry))) That is wonderful — wishing, praying and hoping for peace for the both of you soon…
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thank you so very much my friend!!! hugs
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Sending you warm wishes and strength in these last days of your beloved brother.
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thank you Tersia. I hope you are doing good today
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How wonderful you could get hold of Grandma and hear her voice for Al and you, I am sure it made Grandma some sort of happy to hear you and know about Al as she loves you both so mcuh. Even if it was tearful it was so good to do. Still praying for Al’s journey to be peaceful and a release. Big hugs!
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I hope I gave Al a peace that he had not had before, hearing her voice
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The fact that you were able to honor this wish…and have Al hear her say “I love you” was arguably the most precious moment Al may have had in these waning days. Is there anything more meaningful than hearing one more time the words you long to hear from someone who you’ve missed deeply? You connected him to that Terry – bless you.
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it made me feel like I have never felt before. To hear the noises coming from his throat as he heard her voice and to see the stirrings in his body, still tells me this morning that he was content and happy. I hope I helped him enough so that he can let go
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You made that wish come true for Al it must have meant the world to you that Al was able to recognise and still respond so that you know he heard your grandma’s voice.
As heartbreaking as it must have been I hope it has cleared Al’s path of any pain and regrets from years gone by. I think your grandma will also be very happy that you gave her the opportunity to say her goodbyes to her grandson too. Big hugs
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You are a wonderful person. Thank you for a perfect comment
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Thank you for those lovely words, though I am just a common gal from the north of England! I believe you are the wonderful person, have strength Terry, peace is just round the corner 🙂
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thank you. I am just a common girl from the midwest, Indiana!!! big hugs to my new friend
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awesome!…great suggestion from the nurse…and probably the right timing!…so glad…another wish off of the checklist…
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yes, the last of his request complete. I feel I have done all I can now
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Terry there are no words – you gave Al the most precious gift. This was so beautiful – you and Al have such a perfect love for each other.
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thank you Patty. I hope I have helped Al to feel like he can go now
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Hi,
Whenever Al leaves you, he will leave in peace. That is the best reassurance of having done all you can do. He may not be able to speak, but he knows you have done your best. And that is all God requires. That we give our best no matter what.
Shalom,
Patricai
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I like your words. They calm me and make me feel that I have done what I can. thank you!
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I cried for you too reading this, Terry.
*Big hugs*
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oh I am sorry Michelle, I cried for the two of us
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Terry, I have tears after reading this. It is such a perfectly wonderful thing that you have done for your brother. To bring happiness to two people at once – Al and your Grandma – is a perfect thing. I hope that this is the last thing that Al was clinging to and that he can be at peace now.
You have my utmost respect Terry. I know this was not an easy thing for you to do.
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it was a terribly hard thing to do but I had to do it for Al. I am so hoping this was the final of his issues in remaining here trapped in his body. Big hugs Al. I say it often and I know I am a repeat, but I just love our friendship
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You’re welcome. I have been with you since about June or July, and seen Al’s deterioration. I am surprised he has lasted as long as he has. I was sure he would be at rest before Christmas.
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actually I was too, surprised he is still here. I am hoping contacting our Grandma will help him let go. Hugs my friend
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I am. I know it is not easy for you.
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I can’t say anything that hasn’t already been said, but I just have to add my thanks to your care of your brother. And for what you did for Al and for your Grandma. Not all tears are tears of sadness, and I’m typing here through my tears. I am so moved by this story and by your perseverance to make it happen. You are truly amazing!
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oh thank you Deborah. I only did what any sister would have done. Bless you and thank you for being a friend to me
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Very well done. I am proud that you rose above what happened in the past to live the important moment that you were in. ❤
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I had to do it to help bring peace for my brother. But the gift was the blessing it gave to all three of us was worth the fear of rejection in words
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Praise God. What a beautiful moment of healing, Terry. That is amazing thank you for sharing this.
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Thanks so much Brian, I was just being his sister
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🙂
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Good morning Hon,
Your post was wonderful, you have me at this moment in tears and brought back the grief of not getting to tell my own mother goodbye…no matter how she felt about me if she could have only answered my calls. What a wonderful gift you have given Al. Hugs. Ann
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thank you so much Ann and I am so sorry you didn’t get to say goodbye. this is so sad to me
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You are an Earth Angel, keep up the “good fight” I pray for you both throughout the day. The glow of God’s love is shining on your both. Hugs
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thanks so much
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o thank you
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Terry I have been following you on your journey via Facebook but never commented before. I wish both you and Al peace and I hope that you are comforted in the knowledge that you have done all you could for your brother.
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Hello my friend. Please, I want to say thank you for coming forth and introducing yourself. I am pleased to meet you. I hope that I have given enough to Al to let him feel he can find peace in heaven. I just hate seeing him suffer. Hugs
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Wow! What A Blessing!
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thanks so much
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I almost cried
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please pray now
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Oh Terry, this made me cry. You’re the best sister one can wish for. Praying for you and Al. Soft hugs.
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Thank you. I am just a sister who loves her brother
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I’m sobbing after reading this. You did a wonderful thing there Terry. 🙂
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I didn’t mean to make you cry Ken. I m sorry, but thank you for the nice and warm comment…….big hugs
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They were good tears Terry – hugs back 🙂
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oh terry i can only say that i send love and big warm hugs to you. so much more i want to say but just can’t right now.
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