Staying Strong For Granny

My grandmother had a stroke recently and it really has left me in a daze. It seems like I am having a hard time accepting that she is getting older, weaker and more dependant on her children and grandchildren. My grandmother never seemed to age….she is 78 and still does not have one wrinkle! Not even crow’s feet under her eyes. In my eyes she has always been strong, sassy, independent and a fierce fighter for her family.



My Granny does not believe in letting grass grow under her feet. She still worked full time until she had her stroke. She said retirement was not for her…old folks retire and activity was good for the body and brain. So as long as she felt up to it her children (as if they had any say) continued to let her work.


Granny is a country woman born in Yazoo, Mississippi did not believe in going to the doctor. Shoot I’ve seen my grandma “cure” ailments a million times. Got a cold, granny can take some lemon, herbs, cognac and other ingredients and make some “cough syrup” we called a hot toddie. Man… that toddie had you feeling better in within a matter of hours. I’ll never forget the time she “cured” my cousin Lil Mike of asthma! Lil Mike kept having asthma attacks and she was tired of seeing those doctors push large does of medicines and steroids on her great- grandbaby. She called down to Yazoo, got the recipe from her Auntie and she was giving Lil Mike her version of a breathing treatment. It has been years since Lil Mike (who is not so little any more)

But now that Granny is sick who can “cure” the effects of her strokes. Could it be the doctors at the hospital, the pharmaceutical companies, the rehabilitation therapist or her magic herbs and potions? I’m not really sure but I am praying that we find a way to get her back to her old self as soon as possible.

Having to watch my Granny try to talk with slurred speech was heart breaking. It was painful to ask her to repeat herself so many time before my brain finally picked up on what she was trying to say. Her speech pattern is very abnormal and it frustrates her that people have to lean in close to her and really concentrate on what she is trying to say. It has gotten to the point that Granny does not like to talk because she hates that her family and friends can’t always understand what she is trying to say.

I was asked by the nurse if I would like to feed my Granny lunch! The nurse had so much enthusiasm in her voice when she asked me that question, but to be it was just another sign that my Granny was losing more of her independency. Part of me wanted to say no….my Granny is capable of feeding herself she is not a damn baby. But then I looked at her in the bed looking frailer and weaker than I’ve ever seen her in my life and gave the nurse a faint smile while nodding yes.


Shortly after her meal Granny feel asleep and I just kept looking at her praying and hoping that this was not the beginning of the end. I know that if my Granny does not get better anytime soon she will stop fighting for her recovery, she detest being an invalid that much. She is used to being the caretaker not the ill person.

But as difficult as it is to watch her deal with her health problems, I consider it an honor to feed her and help her through these trying moments. I am just having a hard time dealing with the fact that she may not ever be as strong as she used to be.