Back to Knittin'

Well, I may not be better than ever, but at least I am back. I'm a bit jetlagged, and I don't have much knitting to show for my month off, but at least I made it safely home, with kids and all. There was really no knitting time in my stay in the US. The trip intended for saying good-bye to my grandfather turned into a hellish emotional nightmare for the entire family. My grandfather was, indeed, in his last days and passed away soon after my arrival. That was expected. What we didn't know, though, was that my grandmother, as well as my great-aunt were each hiding a case of pneumonia, thinking it would soon pass.

The day after my grandfather's death, my grandmother went in to the emergency room. She spent 7 days in ICU, fighting hard for her life, and, in the end, lost to a stronger adversary. My great-aunt, too, went into the hospital, though she was in slightly better condition. She is still working back the strength and good health required to be discharged, but she will survive. The whole ordeal was painful, as you can imagine, but I have learned a valuable lesson that should be conveyed to as many people as may read this little post. DO NOT LET A LINGERING COUGH GO UNCHECKED. I cannot stress this enough, especially for those over 65, and of course, for any newborns. Lying on her deathbed, my grandmother's comment was this: "We've been sick before, and we've always gotten better." She had been battling a cough for several weeks, and she really thought nothing of it, until she was too weak to hold up her own head (but by then, she had such a lack of oxygen that she was no longer coherent enough to think she had a health problem). And, for those who take aspirin on a daily basis as a blood thinner, be especially careful, because this practice, though good for the heart, may mask the telltale high fever associated with pneumonia. Like my grandmother, you may never know until it is too late.

On the brighter side, we were able to have several last days together, filled with many precious last moments. My children were able to play with and enjoy the company of their great-grandmother a few last times, and for that I will always be grateful.

I don't know what knitting is in store for this little sheep in the near future. I had many plans, both knitting and non that somehow seem less important that they once did. For the moment, all I want to do is clean. Whether this is a psychological bi-product of grief or due to the fact that spending a month away from home only magnifies the mess when you return, I'm not sure. I only hope the mood will last long enough to make a dent. When the mood strikes me, though, I will show you what little knitting I have accomplished. This will include a bath puff that works quite nicely (only took an evening) and the silk tank I was working on before I left.

One last thought for this post:

My grandparents spent 63 years married to their soulmates. I know that is an unrealistic and romantic notion, but seeing them over the years is proof of the existence of soulmates. Not everyone may find them, but my grandparents certainly had. They truly were an example of lasting, loving marital bliss. The only comfort I can find in losing them both at once is the thought that neither will be forced to live without the other.