we beg rebirth

day 37

Yesterday my grandpa had a stroke. He's doing good now, but it will take many months for him to regain health. It's strange imagining a healthy, hardworking man sick in a hospital bed. I was so scared we were going to lose him. When we learned that he was in the hospital we didn't know what was going on or what was wrong and everyone was scared. As for me, I was automatically assuming the worst. The only thing we knew this morning was that he had gone to the city to stay in ICU. It didn't help me whatsoever that in my first hour class we talked about old age and death. I can't imagine losing my grandparents. They've been a part of my life for so long and I love them so much ...

When people started to worry about Grandpa (before they took him to the hospital) they asked him where he was. He said that he was in Anchorage Alaska (he lives in Oklahoma). To know that he was thinking of us so deeply that even when he forgot where he was and who he was he knew where we were, that broke my heart. It's still breaking my heart. There's so many things I could say right now, like how much I miss my friends and family in Oklahoma and how I (and the rest of my family) wish we were down there right now with my grandparents, but I've learned that wishing gets you no where ... But I take even the things I do have for granted. And knowing that it could all be taken away in an instant is very humbling.

We take our life for granted and I hope to always be truly thankful for another day to live, and I hope I will live life to its fullest and always work my hardest and never give half effort for anything. And I hope to never take any person for granted. Life is too short to be lazy and to not take chances and not try new things. I hope I never forget that.

As for my grandpa, he's still in ICU. My grandmother refused to stay at a hotel and is right by his side at this very moment. Tomorrow he's supposed to be moved to a normal room where he'll undergo more tests. He'll have to go through just a little bit of physical and speech therapy which the doctors have said will take a few months.

I just hope he's recovered in time to make it to my graduation so I can see him again.

Keep our family in your prayers. We really need it right now.