My Nana

Yesterday my Nana, who has been in pain for as long as I can remember, and who has been terminally ill for some time, died peacefully at home. I think for most of us, the over-riding feeling is of relief. Over the last 18 months or so, we have all made several trips to see her 'for the last time' so we were fairly prepared to let her go, and she was certainly ready to leave us. My Dad sounded more peaceful than he has for some time when I spoke to him this evening, he is confident that she was prepared, and that she's gone to the good place!

Nothing profound here, but some thoughts:

When I was little I was always a bit sad for my friends, coz their Nans weren't beautiful like mine. As I got a little older, I grew to appreciate how gracious a person she was, and how fiercely devoted to her family she was, despite our many and varying imperfections! When the husband she idolised suddenly died she was devastated, but refused to be broken - I think probably my most enduring memory of her will be a silly moment on the morning of my Grandad's funeral which I wouldn't know how to reproduce here, but which involved the word 'boobies,' and some uncontrollable giggling. That was typical of my Nana, who always put on a brave face for us Grandkids- on one visit to see her in hospital when she was on oxygen, and hooked up to a variety of drips and machines, she talked about the patients around her who were 'really' sick. I admire and appreciate her for raising my Dad to be the man I know, and I'm grateful that although she's gone, I'll be stuck with her son for a while yet - if you know my Dad, you know he's some legacy!