My Pop-Pop
An inspiring story about his last days in the hospital and what are family went though to over come this tragedy...
A note by the author "this is a true story about my Pop-Pop"
It was a beautiful sunny day when my Pop-Pop had to go into the hospital to fix his knee or else he could not work around the house and help Me-Me. He always did things to help other people and never cared about himself. I still remember his smiling face when he worked outside, and played, with his grandchildren; Lauren, Lyndsey, Anna, Thomas, and RJ. Since Me-Me (grandma) had diabetes and had trouble walking around, it was up to Pop- Pop, my Aunt Julie and Uncle Tom that lived downstairs to help around the house. Although it was hard for Pop-Pop to work outside, he did it anyway. Then one day Pop-Pop really needed the surgery to make his knee better. So, he got his knee looked at by a doctor and they said "he will need to have his knee totally replaced and they would have to put in a titanium knee." I really thought this operation would be good for him and everything...but we were not ready for what was about to come when he went into surgery. On September 10, 2001 the day right before the bombings, Pop-Pop went into surgery to fix his knee at the hospital. About three to four hours, after the surgery was done he awoke. I remember when I went in there for the first time I was scared...I had all these mixed feeling about was he going to be okay. Is he going to pull though? Then I turned to Me-Me she was crying...
I knew he had to make it because the doctors said he was going to be fine. However, that did not prepare us at all for the next couple of days...
I wanted so badly to go up to Pop-Pop and just hug him so tight even though I should wait until he had less-tubes on him. After that one visit I could tell that he wanted out of the hospital and to come home, which would be in a couple of days. The next day I went to school everything as normal, went to classes, and stuff like that not knowing what he was going to be like the next day. Two days later after I came home from school my mom told my sister and I that Pop-Pop wasn't doing so good and that we should go visit him for a while. When we got there the doctor said, "I know that he is going to make it... but he is getting worse. We are not sure what is wrong yet but we will keep you posted." I know what my family was feeling at this time, we all did not know what would happen next. Our family knew that there was a risk of blood clots from the surgery, but that could not be the problem, or could it?
On the telephone the next day, Me-Me said "he is having trouble getting out of bed and going to the bathroom by himself." I could feel that something was wrong I could even taste it like it was your gut feeling that it was not very good.
Around midnight, that day my mom received a phone-call from the hospital that Pop-Pop's stomach was becoming bloated and his intestines were twisted or something like that. When we visited him the next day his stomach looked like it had a balloon in it, I almost cried...it looked like it was really bad.
Unfortunately, Pop-Pop died of blood clots and multiple organ failure on September 16, 2001. He wasn't getting enough oxygen through his body and it caused his liver, kidneys and heart to fail. The doctors could not have done anything to prevent this from happening. It was a risk the Me-Me and Pop-Pop took together. It is just like my science teacher says "we all have to jump off the cliff together or else there would be no reason to"(not the exact words). Our family was horrified about this event. I personally think that Me-Me, my dad, and my Uncle Tom took it the hardest because they were a very close family. The day I found out was that Monday; I almost fainted when I heard. I felt that it was meant to be. I can see him up there talking to God and his brother Ed saying, "hey lets play a game of horseshoes." That was their favorite game they played together. Even now November 11, 2001 I can still see his smiling face in the clouds...I will never forget this one person.
After the funeral, we had a party to celebrate his time with us. When I got home, I was given this picture of Pop-Pop that my dad drew along time ago. He drew Pop-Pop with a big nose because my Pop-Pop and his sister both had big noses. Another thing I was given was a nose warmer that they both used that is very special to my dad and me. There were so many people to celebrate my Pop-Pop's life there was not enough room in my house...Although we have a very big house. Many people were outside talking and eating.
At the viewing, I was so scared to walk up and pray for him. I didn't want to even look at his face it made cry...I still have that feeling to day. If anyone has ever noticed when you really love someone you should tell them you love them...Because if you do not you do not know when you will see them again. That was one thing I learned was that I loved Pop-Pop, but I never really told him how much. Now I regret it a lot. I will never make that mistake again.
Today, our family and friends still remember his smiling face. I guess that it was his time to go, although no one wanted him to leave us. We all wanted Pop-Pop to stay a little while longer but God said he wanted Pop-Pop with him.
I would like to dedicate this to Me-Me, my Dad, my Uncle, and the rest of the people that loved him dearly.
An inspiring story about his last days in the hospital and what are family went though to over come this tragedy...
A note by the author "this is a true story about my Pop-Pop"
It was a beautiful sunny day when my Pop-Pop had to go into the hospital to fix his knee or else he could not work around the house and help Me-Me. He always did things to help other people and never cared about himself. I still remember his smiling face when he worked outside, and played, with his grandchildren; Lauren, Lyndsey, Anna, Thomas, and RJ. Since Me-Me (grandma) had diabetes and had trouble walking around, it was up to Pop- Pop, my Aunt Julie and Uncle Tom that lived downstairs to help around the house. Although it was hard for Pop-Pop to work outside, he did it anyway. Then one day Pop-Pop really needed the surgery to make his knee better. So, he got his knee looked at by a doctor and they said "he will need to have his knee totally replaced and they would have to put in a titanium knee." I really thought this operation would be good for him and everything...but we were not ready for what was about to come when he went into surgery. On September 10, 2001 the day right before the bombings, Pop-Pop went into surgery to fix his knee at the hospital. About three to four hours, after the surgery was done he awoke. I remember when I went in there for the first time I was scared...I had all these mixed feeling about was he going to be okay. Is he going to pull though? Then I turned to Me-Me she was crying...
I knew he had to make it because the doctors said he was going to be fine. However, that did not prepare us at all for the next couple of days...
I wanted so badly to go up to Pop-Pop and just hug him so tight even though I should wait until he had less-tubes on him. After that one visit I could tell that he wanted out of the hospital and to come home, which would be in a couple of days. The next day I went to school everything as normal, went to classes, and stuff like that not knowing what he was going to be like the next day. Two days later after I came home from school my mom told my sister and I that Pop-Pop wasn't doing so good and that we should go visit him for a while. When we got there the doctor said, "I know that he is going to make it... but he is getting worse. We are not sure what is wrong yet but we will keep you posted." I know what my family was feeling at this time, we all did not know what would happen next. Our family knew that there was a risk of blood clots from the surgery, but that could not be the problem, or could it?
On the telephone the next day, Me-Me said "he is having trouble getting out of bed and going to the bathroom by himself." I could feel that something was wrong I could even taste it like it was your gut feeling that it was not very good.
Around midnight, that day my mom received a phone-call from the hospital that Pop-Pop's stomach was becoming bloated and his intestines were twisted or something like that. When we visited him the next day his stomach looked like it had a balloon in it, I almost cried...it looked like it was really bad.
Unfortunately, Pop-Pop died of blood clots and multiple organ failure on September 16, 2001. He wasn't getting enough oxygen through his body and it caused his liver, kidneys and heart to fail. The doctors could not have done anything to prevent this from happening. It was a risk the Me-Me and Pop-Pop took together. It is just like my science teacher says "we all have to jump off the cliff together or else there would be no reason to"(not the exact words). Our family was horrified about this event. I personally think that Me-Me, my dad, and my Uncle Tom took it the hardest because they were a very close family. The day I found out was that Monday; I almost fainted when I heard. I felt that it was meant to be. I can see him up there talking to God and his brother Ed saying, "hey lets play a game of horseshoes." That was their favorite game they played together. Even now November 11, 2001 I can still see his smiling face in the clouds...I will never forget this one person.
After the funeral, we had a party to celebrate his time with us. When I got home, I was given this picture of Pop-Pop that my dad drew along time ago. He drew Pop-Pop with a big nose because my Pop-Pop and his sister both had big noses. Another thing I was given was a nose warmer that they both used that is very special to my dad and me. There were so many people to celebrate my Pop-Pop's life there was not enough room in my house...Although we have a very big house. Many people were outside talking and eating.
At the viewing, I was so scared to walk up and pray for him. I didn't want to even look at his face it made cry...I still have that feeling to day. If anyone has ever noticed when you really love someone you should tell them you love them...Because if you do not you do not know when you will see them again. That was one thing I learned was that I loved Pop-Pop, but I never really told him how much. Now I regret it a lot. I will never make that mistake again.
Today, our family and friends still remember his smiling face. I guess that it was his time to go, although no one wanted him to leave us. We all wanted Pop-Pop to stay a little while longer but God said he wanted Pop-Pop with him.
I would like to dedicate this to Me-Me, my Dad, my Uncle, and the rest of the people that loved him dearly.
