(It was not apparently in the cards for me, to be an easy week.)
My grandfather, known by all of us who love him as Papa Tipping, took a bad fall yesterday. His leg needed to be amputated, with surgery scheduled for this morning. He's gone into renal failure, and he had a stroke, paralyzing the left side of his body. He cannot have the surgery because he likely wouldn't make it through, and the doctors are giving him a few days left to live.
My Papa was a good man. He worked at a Steel Company in Chicago for many years, and then moved on to be a janitor in one of the public schools. He lost his brother, Uncle Bob, when he was only thrity-nine years old, and he talked about him always. There were three brothers left after that, Howard, Ed and Bill, and he was very proud to be one of them. When I was a kid he would bring us cartons of leftover chocolate milk and sing songs to us about our names. I loved the wooden desk in his room, full of old pictures and papers and trinkets. He spent a lot of time there, watching the original Whammy game show and cooking shows, and my gramma was forever ribbing him about knowing how to cook just about anything, but never actually making a thing. He turned his Chicago back yard into a giant garden with grass only around the perimeter, and I remember pulling cherry tomatoes and green beans off of the plants and eating them, so fresh in summertime. He enjoyed strange things like pickled herring, liver sausage sandwiches and cow tongue, but growing up in a house where sugary cereal was outlawed, I knew exactly where the box of Frosted Flakes was kept at Gramma & Papa's house, and they welcomed me to it.
My Papa loved his black labs, and the country, and while he raised rabbits for a while, what he really wanted were chickens. He was so mad when they finally moved to the country, right around the time of my wedding, and then found out that chickens weren't allowed in their subdivision. My sister talked about painting them on his garage. We lost my gramma in 2002, the month before KJ was born, and he's had a very hard time since then. He loved his great-grandchildren, telling me always what he thought they would grow up to be, but I don't think he enjoyed anything as fully as he did when they still lived in Chicago, and before my gramma died.
I hope from here that his journey to God, and to my Gramma and to his brothers and his children, is easy on him. I hope that he finds peace soon, and a whole flock of chickens in heaven.
***
Updated to add, he passed away just before ten o'clock tonight.
Molly, I am so sorry & thinking of you and your family.
Posted by: Bethany | 23 January 2010 at 01:25 PM
I am so, so sorry.
Posted by: C @ Kid Things | 23 January 2010 at 02:12 PM
It is your gift of writing that can make me smile on the worst days and bring me to tears over a man that I never knew. What a wonderful man your Papa is. My heart aches for you and your family as you walk through these next days. You are in my prayers.
Posted by: debi | 23 January 2010 at 03:28 PM
You have his smile.
Posted by: debi | 23 January 2010 at 03:29 PM
Mol Your words are beautiful! I am so very sorry for what you and your family will be going through in the next days to come. I am happy that I have had the chance to know him and Grams. Though the times are sad, please keep looking back on the the good times and I will be praying for you and the family. I hope that he has peace soon. All my love your way!
Posted by: Mary | 23 January 2010 at 05:24 PM
Molly I'm so sorry. Sending you prayers and {{hugs}} and wishes for lots and lots of chickens. Thinking of you and your family....
Posted by: Erica | 23 January 2010 at 06:01 PM
I'm so sorry. Your family is in my prayers.
Posted by: Laylabean | 23 January 2010 at 09:06 PM
Molly, I am so sorry about your grandpa...our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Posted by: Debbie | 23 January 2010 at 10:47 PM
Oh Molly, I'm so, so sorry about your Papa. Sending you many prayers, hugs and healing thoughts.
Without a doubt he's finally at peace with his heavenly family now. I hope you and your family can find peace in remembering him as the man you all loved so much.
xoxo
Posted by: SJ | 23 January 2010 at 11:10 PM
Molly, so sorry you lost your Papa. You're in our thoughts.
Posted by: Michelle Z | 23 January 2010 at 11:56 PM
Your Papa sounded wonderful! Just like a grandfather that I never had. My condolences to you and your family.
Posted by: Annette | 24 January 2010 at 02:52 AM
What wonderful memories you have of the time you spent with your papa. I'm sorry for your loss, but you know that he is celebrating his life and being with his loving wife in heaven!
Posted by: Karen | 24 January 2010 at 09:57 AM
I am so sorry for your loss. Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
Posted by: Erin | 24 January 2010 at 12:46 PM
I'm so sorry Molly. I'm betting he does get his chickens now, and you will be left with your wonderful memories of him. Wonderful tribute you wrote, I'm just sorry for you that he's gone.
Posted by: BetteJo | 24 January 2010 at 08:50 PM
Oh honey, I am so sorry!!
I bet you Gram is very happy though!!
You and your family are always in our prayers and today we will add a few more.
Rest in peace papa!
If you need to talk, I am here for you! Give everyone a hug for us!
Posted by: Cindy | 24 January 2010 at 10:12 PM
I wish I could give you a big hug. I am so sorry. You know you are in my prayers. God is always close to those whose hearts are breaking.
Posted by: debi | 24 January 2010 at 11:22 PM
I'm thinking of you and your family. He was lucky to be loved so much.
Posted by: Cheryl | 24 January 2010 at 11:28 PM
Dear Molly, I'm so sorry for your loss. He sounds like a lovely man and the world needs as many of those as possible. Thank you for sharing happy memories of Papa Tipping with us. Sending you hugs.
Posted by: Nikki | 25 January 2010 at 05:18 AM
So sorry for your loss....
Posted by: Amy W | 25 January 2010 at 08:54 AM
Oh Molly, I am so, so sorry for all you have been going through, and now this. But what a wonderful tribute to your papa. I'm sure he received a king's welcome in Heaven from your grandma and your uncles.
Posted by: Frema | 25 January 2010 at 08:58 AM
Molly,
What a wonderful post full of terrific memories of your papa. I am so sorry to hear he passed from this world but take comfort that he is with your other family members who have also passed. You have a wonderful way with words and can move even your most distant friends to tears in sympathy for your loss. I hope you have some peace knowing he is no longer in pain.
Posted by: Becky | 25 January 2010 at 09:58 AM
Oh molly, I am so very sorry. The memories you have of him sound amazing, hang tight to those.
My heart goes out to you, hugs.
Posted by: crookedeyebrow | 25 January 2010 at 10:38 AM
Big hugs honey!
Posted by: Liz | 25 January 2010 at 10:54 AM
So many questions arise surrounding death but the most important are: Did he love? and Was he loved? and from this post it is clear the answer to both is yes.
So sorry for your loss.
Posted by: rkmama | 25 January 2010 at 02:01 PM
So sorry for your loss. His smile is contagious and from that picture alone, I imagine he brought light and joy wherever he went.
You're in my thoughts.
Posted by: Deidra | 26 January 2010 at 10:47 AM
Sorry for your loss.
Posted by: Fraulein N | 27 January 2010 at 02:02 PM
We lost one of my favorite aunts a few days ago. I know she was happy to be reunited with her sweetheart on the other side and I'm sure your Papa was too. *hugs*
Posted by: Laylabean | 29 January 2010 at 11:12 PM