My grandmother passed away yesterday. At the ripe old age of 92 (she may have shaved off a few years from that age). My grandfather passed away about 6 years ago and they were childhood sweethearts so while the family is sad, we know that she's where she's been waiting to be, with my grandfather.
I got the phone call yesterday morning about an hour after she passed away. She died at the home she shares with my uncle and his wife. Charmaine and I were there 20 minutes after the call. I left the older 2 at home to spread the word. Although the authorities/mortuary was called, we asked that they do not pick up her remains yet as family was en route to spend these final moments with her. They gave us about 4 hours with her.
I know that this might seem odd (or more accurately batsh*t insane), but I am so very very glad that I was able to hold my grandmother's hand one final time even though her spirit departed a little while before. My family and I made sure that someone was sitting with her at all times while we were waiting for her to be picked up. I was one of the ones that spent the most time in the bedroom with her. Macabre? Perhaps. But my family is bred in the bone Filipino Catholic and it's not that strange to us. I will admit that my older 2 kids are probably happy that I didn't bring them with me. Charmaine sat with me and her great-grandmother for almost 2 hours. Other relatives were sitting on the bed with us, we talked, we laughed, we cried. And yes, we took pictures with our dead grandmother.
It's a complete cultural shock for some, I know that. Ray was thanking God that I told him to stay at his job and he was even more thankful when I told him that I won't show him the pictures. Even now, I'm cracking up because to try to explain to someone else how grateful I was that I had that time with my grandmother, I also know that they're completely cringing and howling in the inside.
Flea, do the Peruvians get down like this?
Oh, and it's only the beginning. 9 nights of the Rosary, the service, and then 40 days from yesterday, another prayer service.
And the food is going to be awesome. We killed a goat yesterday to eat it. (I do kid about the goat.)
Love you, Lola. RIP
Edited, Aug 15th 2012 8:55am by Thumbelyna