Dwindling family

Both my father’s parents were one of multiple children. I’m talking about over ten in each family. So there’s a lot of family around that I don’t know and probably never will know. I think I’ve run across a few through the DNA testing sites.

My mom’s father was an only child although she had a step-father who was also from a large family. My maternal grandmother was the oldest of nine children. There were five girls and four boys. The youngest two are actually younger than my mom and the third youngest is only slightly older. You could say they grew up more like siblings their true relationship. My mom even lived in the same house for a period of time growing up.

Less than two years ago, the youngest, my aunt E, was diagnosed with lung cancer. Like most of this part of the family she’d smoked all her adult life and I don’t know that she’d quit like some family members or not. Anyway, her prognosis initially wasn’t good but then she saw a different doctor who did surgery. Apparently that made things a lot better and she was doing okay. But then she ended up rushed to the hospital in massive pain and it turns out the cancer had spread throughout her body. The outlook was was poor but there was a plan to start her on chemotherapy. Then she decided she wasn’t going to go down that path. It makes no difference because she died soon afterwards on September 7th, just three days before her 75th birthday.

Out of that family of nine kids, she was one of the ones I was closest to. She lived across the road from my grandma until my grandmother moved into an apartment. I last saw her on my November 2017 trip and we had a good visit one afternoon. I’m grateful I was able to spend that time with her. For my mom’s part, it’s much like losing a sister. In fact she was closer to her aunt than she was her sisters (who were ten and fifteen years younger). I am glad she didn’t suffer a long time but it really is sad that I will never see her again. Instead I will keep my memories of her close.

This brings that part of the family down to two brothers and one sister still living. The sister is also another close relationship and this is made harder by the fact she is suffering from Alzheimer’s and is living in the nursing home where my other aunt spent her last days. It’s weird to think of this family passing out of existence but it won’t be too long until it happens.

Not to mention that my parents are no longer young. With both in the latter 70s it’s possible they could be struck down by any number of ailments. At the moment, though, they are both in relatively decent health, which is a relief to me.