Death and Dying essays

Death and Dying essays Death and Dying, Losing a Grandparent The death of a grandparent is a devastating time in a persons life. However, when the grandparent contracts a fatal disease and suffers for the duration of the final stage of life, this can make the situation more overwhelming. Dying is a component of the life cycle (Santrock 1999), and this phase can be the most complex to endure. At the concluding stage of my grandfathers life, he became dependent. We could only watch helplessly as he dwindled away. One thing that comes natural is to reflect upon the memories, comprehend what is taking place in the life cycle, and to treasure the memories that will be with me forever. One of the earliest memories that I have is as a very young boy. I was about three or four years of age. My Grandfather had a large family and always drove a station wagon. Station wagons in those days are the equivalent to the Sports Utility Vehicles of today. I do not know why I can remember this story so well, but it stands out in my mind. My mother gave birth to the first grandchild, who was I. In the sixties, most large families planted gardens, and raised their own livestock, in order to feed their families. There was a man who lived down the road from where my grandfather lived. This man raised chickens. One morning, my grandfather and I drove down the road to the neighbors house to purchase eggs. The neighbor I am referring to owned the property, which my grandparents lived on. Farm fresh eggs are not the same as the eggs we purchase in our neighborhood grocery stores. The eggshell is brownish in color, and when the eggs are cooked, they appear to have a da rk yellowish appearance. This is a reflection of the simpler times, which may or may not be the good ole days. We did not have many of the amenities that we enjoy today. We did not have indoor plumbing. We had an outhouse that I was petrified to utilize. That is ano...