I really want to write down my memory of the visit we made to Grandpa Hunt in July, he just passed away yesterday and I am thankful I was able to spend some time with him.
We took the elevators up to his room at the hospital. When we got closer to his room, he had the curtain drawn and a nurse was speaking with him about a medication he would need to take. He was very sweet with her and talked about liking to have a glass of red wine occasionally and whether that would be okay. It was really neat to just stand there and listen to his voice.
When the nurse came around the corner, she told him that he had a visitor and that I was his niece. I corrected her and told her that I was his granddaughter. He said, "Well for goodness sakes, Eve is that you? I haven't seen you since you were a tiny baby like Elsie's size". We walked over to see him, he was in his bed and happy to see us.
Elsie was attached to me and Mike had Ruby at the bathroom, but they were soon to follow. The nurse went and got chairs for us to sit in, but I wanted to be up next to him to talk and hold his hand. Ruby decided to sit in the chairs. We held hands for quite awhile. He looked exactly like all the pictures I had seen. I think he was surprised that we made the trip up to see him in the hospital. He told us how he wasn't feeling well and I asked what was wrong or going on to make him feel bad. He told me that he was having trouble breathing and that it stemmed back to when he was a child, he had pneumonia or something like that which took a toll on his lungs. That he has had trouble with this off and on throughout his life.
It is hard to remember the exact details, but these are the parts that I remember the most. He told us that he had heard that we stopped in to see Grandma and that it was a nice visit. He also mentioned that Mike kept busy with Elsie at the house. He told Mike that he was proud of him as a father and a person. He talked with him about his job as a band director and mentioned another band director that he knew who was really good too. He told Mike that the ring that they had given him, that he heard that it didn't fit and not to be afraid to wear it on his other fingers. I let Elsie down and and she immediately started running around, Mike took her to look at the fish in the waiting room. Ruby was sitting in the chairs, he talked to her. He told her how pretty she was and said that if he made it out of the hospital and got better that he would keep the boys away with his walking stick. Ruby went up to talk with him and held his hand, they talked about our trip to Seattle and what we had done. She told him that we were staying with Rachel and Jimmy and that we had gone to the horse races. He asked if it was Emerald Downs. He was excited to hear that. We talked about how she rode a pony, and he told us that he watched that on the TV and saw the kiddos on the ponies. He told us a story about how we had a relative that was part of racing horses and was proud to share it with us. Ruby told him that our horse won. She listened and nodded as he told us stuff. She held his hand for a long time. She told him that she loved him and he told her the same before she went with Mike to the waiting room to look at the fish. Elsie stayed with me and I held her up close to him. She did not really want to hold hands, so he just touched her legs and talked to her as she leaned her head in toward me.
I remember moving over to the other side of him and holding his hand. I was able to give him a kiss, he told me that he wasn't able to shave and that his face was all stubbly because of it. I remember talking about his eyes and how they were blue just like the girls, he said something about how they weren't as brilliant blue as they used to be. He told me that he always wanted to see me and we both teared up, I couldn't help it. I think he wanted me to know that he cared about me even though we didn't see eachother over all these years. I told him it was okay, I understood.
I was only able to stay for about 45 minutes because the room was so small and the girls were restless and needed a nap. I really wanted to stay longer and visit some more as well as see my Grandma and Uncle who were on there way there. Wish it would have been possible. We both told eachother that we loved one another. I told him that I hoped he got better and headed out the door. I really wanted some pictures of us together, but didn't feel like it was appropriate to ask when he was feeling so bad. He will forever be in my memory though, it was a nice visit and I was glad to share my family with him. God is amazing, something told me that I needed to get over there to see them. I am so thankful for those moments we had together, they meant the world to me.
I was really upset the ride home, regretting all the years we missed together. Also, wishing that I could have spent more time with him than the time I did and that I could have seen him well. Mike talked through it with me and I tried to look at it in a different way. Valueing the time we had together rather than regretting all the time we missed.
My Grandma sent me an email telling me that he mentioned that Ruby held his hand and was so glad to see us. My mom also told me that she said that he told her that we were all beautiful. When he was passing, he had pictures of the whole family up close to him so he could see us all.
Rest in peace Grandpa Hunt, I love you.
We took the elevators up to his room at the hospital. When we got closer to his room, he had the curtain drawn and a nurse was speaking with him about a medication he would need to take. He was very sweet with her and talked about liking to have a glass of red wine occasionally and whether that would be okay. It was really neat to just stand there and listen to his voice.
When the nurse came around the corner, she told him that he had a visitor and that I was his niece. I corrected her and told her that I was his granddaughter. He said, "Well for goodness sakes, Eve is that you? I haven't seen you since you were a tiny baby like Elsie's size". We walked over to see him, he was in his bed and happy to see us.
Elsie was attached to me and Mike had Ruby at the bathroom, but they were soon to follow. The nurse went and got chairs for us to sit in, but I wanted to be up next to him to talk and hold his hand. Ruby decided to sit in the chairs. We held hands for quite awhile. He looked exactly like all the pictures I had seen. I think he was surprised that we made the trip up to see him in the hospital. He told us how he wasn't feeling well and I asked what was wrong or going on to make him feel bad. He told me that he was having trouble breathing and that it stemmed back to when he was a child, he had pneumonia or something like that which took a toll on his lungs. That he has had trouble with this off and on throughout his life.
It is hard to remember the exact details, but these are the parts that I remember the most. He told us that he had heard that we stopped in to see Grandma and that it was a nice visit. He also mentioned that Mike kept busy with Elsie at the house. He told Mike that he was proud of him as a father and a person. He talked with him about his job as a band director and mentioned another band director that he knew who was really good too. He told Mike that the ring that they had given him, that he heard that it didn't fit and not to be afraid to wear it on his other fingers. I let Elsie down and and she immediately started running around, Mike took her to look at the fish in the waiting room. Ruby was sitting in the chairs, he talked to her. He told her how pretty she was and said that if he made it out of the hospital and got better that he would keep the boys away with his walking stick. Ruby went up to talk with him and held his hand, they talked about our trip to Seattle and what we had done. She told him that we were staying with Rachel and Jimmy and that we had gone to the horse races. He asked if it was Emerald Downs. He was excited to hear that. We talked about how she rode a pony, and he told us that he watched that on the TV and saw the kiddos on the ponies. He told us a story about how we had a relative that was part of racing horses and was proud to share it with us. Ruby told him that our horse won. She listened and nodded as he told us stuff. She held his hand for a long time. She told him that she loved him and he told her the same before she went with Mike to the waiting room to look at the fish. Elsie stayed with me and I held her up close to him. She did not really want to hold hands, so he just touched her legs and talked to her as she leaned her head in toward me.
I remember moving over to the other side of him and holding his hand. I was able to give him a kiss, he told me that he wasn't able to shave and that his face was all stubbly because of it. I remember talking about his eyes and how they were blue just like the girls, he said something about how they weren't as brilliant blue as they used to be. He told me that he always wanted to see me and we both teared up, I couldn't help it. I think he wanted me to know that he cared about me even though we didn't see eachother over all these years. I told him it was okay, I understood.
I was only able to stay for about 45 minutes because the room was so small and the girls were restless and needed a nap. I really wanted to stay longer and visit some more as well as see my Grandma and Uncle who were on there way there. Wish it would have been possible. We both told eachother that we loved one another. I told him that I hoped he got better and headed out the door. I really wanted some pictures of us together, but didn't feel like it was appropriate to ask when he was feeling so bad. He will forever be in my memory though, it was a nice visit and I was glad to share my family with him. God is amazing, something told me that I needed to get over there to see them. I am so thankful for those moments we had together, they meant the world to me.
I was really upset the ride home, regretting all the years we missed together. Also, wishing that I could have spent more time with him than the time I did and that I could have seen him well. Mike talked through it with me and I tried to look at it in a different way. Valueing the time we had together rather than regretting all the time we missed.
My Grandma sent me an email telling me that he mentioned that Ruby held his hand and was so glad to see us. My mom also told me that she said that he told her that we were all beautiful. When he was passing, he had pictures of the whole family up close to him so he could see us all.
Rest in peace Grandpa Hunt, I love you.
This is really special, Eve.
ReplyDeleteThat is so special Eve! Thank you for sharing something that is so dear to you!
ReplyDelete