My Sister and My Grandma

My dear Grandma was very recently found to have a tumor. She is 93 and there is nothing else wrong with her. She will tell you about the first time she drove a car over the Brooklyn bridge. She will laugh as she shares with you stories about how she found her 2 sons "high as sh*t pots" (her words not mine) from some funny brownies. She will even beat you at pool. Okay, she may repeat a little, but hey, just ask my sister's boyfriend how many times I tell him about my green smoothies.

Grams does not like going to the doctors. And she has been having a really hard time with the needles.

I almost cried when I spoke to my Uncle this week. I guess I did a little. But they were very cleansing, healing tears.

He told me that he sat there with his mom (Grams) and held her hand. He told her, "Don't you remember when you used to sit with Danielle? Don't you remember how scared she was as a 5 year old little girl? But you held her hand and told her it was going to be over soon."

Danielle is in Thailand now with my other sister, Christina, and I miss them both.

Sometimes, even after we think we are done inspiring, we still inspire.

Danielle survived cancer many years ago. To be honest, we hardly ever talk about it. Not with my Mom, not with anyone.

Danielle may tell you that she didn't even realize how bad it all was. The only time she ever really felt scared was when she caught my Grandma and Dad crying once. She didn't understand.

Oh, and she hated spinal taps.

But my Grandma, 74 at the time, pulled it together. And she was there for Danielle and for my family. My mother was pregnant with Christina at the time of Danielles chemo, so it was a challenge for her.

On Sunday my Grandma shared the story of how one time Danielle needed to be rushed to the hospital. Grandma was on a date with her boyfriend, Steve, at the time. She got a call from my Dad and she left Steve solo and headed straight to the hospital.

"Oh yeah," my Grandma talks sweetly as I sit beside her Sunday at my Uncle's house.

"I just left. Nice guy, Steve. He didn't say anything. I left and it was the middle of the night and I drove by myself straight to the hospital. They wouldn't even let me into her room. Oh you know them, with sickness and stuff. They don't want you passing anything. So I just stood by the door the whole night and watched through the door. I wonder if she even knew I was there? But if she woke up, I wanted her to see me, you know? Hi sweetie...its Grandma..." She talks in a kiddie voice. She talks not looking for admiration or gratitude. She is not trying to tell a good story. She is just talking. Remembering.

It never dawned on me that that moment of strength would come back around in such a way.

That holding Danielle's little 5 year old hand as the needles came would serve as inspiration for Grandma to say, "I can do it too".

I just wanted to share that with you.

-------------------

Here is more of Danielle's story:
 http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-6974/How-My-Sister-Beat-Cancer-When-She-Was-5-Years-Old.html