Grandma and Freeloaders

Sigh, my grandmother. Not my mother's mom but my father's mom. She's sick. She's battling yet another pneumonia infection... It's been five ~ six days now and Brother Otter usually says that it lasts a week before senior's die from it. So, I'm a bit afraid.

Here's the thing with my grandmother... In the late-80's, she had her first stroke which left her paralyzed on the left side from the shoulder and below so she walks with a cane and a limp but it doesn't stop her from anything. She travels, cooks, shops, cleans, showers and even took care of an adopted child from the moment she was an infant all by herself with no help of a stay-at-home nurse or maid.

In 2005 or 2006, she had her second stroke in our house in Fort Bonifacio and we rushed her to the hospital and even though she was all better, she was so tired and my father and his sisters thought it was a better idea that she come back to Los Angeles and see a doctor and stay at a senior home (because they "don't have room at their house") so the next week, she flew back to Los Angeles. Since then, I haven't seen her. When I stayed in Canada for six months in 2008, I got a message from a cousin who told me that she had her third stroke. THIRD. She was a little deranged and forgot some things but she was still living on her own. Then, she had her first pneumonia infection that ended up her being rushed to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) but she ended up doing well and living well. Now, she's on her second pneumonia infection and people are thinking that this is it. Sometimes, it makes me think that it's not because she's been so strong already however, I know that she's struggling so much just to live that it's just too much for her... As much as I hate to say it, I think she deserves to rest. She's such a great grandmother who tries to be the best mother that she can be, who works hard even if half of her is paralyzed. I was always her favorite and she hated everyone else, she cared for my mom more than she cared for her own daughters and sons because she and I really understood her, took care of her and let her into our house even though we didn't have space. I lent her my room for months while I slept in the living room, on a couch and I was still in high school. For what she did for me (and my mother), sleeping on the couch was not enough to thank her, I guess you can say.


Both her daughters (my aunts) always argued with my mother, saying that we're using our grandmother as storage space for our furniture because it can't fit in our own house or calling me "spoiled" when I don't ask for anything from anyone. The person who should be call spoiled are those two witches and their children. They toss my grandmother like she's a rag, only coming to her for money because they know she has a lot and they think they know everything and always disregard what she feels. They never listen to her, that's why they weren't always on good terms but my grandmother loved my mother because she was the total opposite.

My grandmother lived in a house in Malolos, Bulacan. Her and my grandfather (who passed away in 2001) built that house from the ground up. My grandmother lived in it, controlled the contractors and construction workers, made them food and took care of them; thanking them for their hard work. When she had to leave for Los Angeles, no one could take care of the home so one of the evil witches (Flores) had their in-laws live in that house! They are not related to us yet they're staying in that house, with our stuff from waaaaaay back early 80's and when I was a baby. All our things are there, occupied by hoggers, rats, stealers and users.

A few weeks after she left, I found a plastic tube sitting in the corner of our house... It was brought into our house before my grandmother left. I opened it... It was a blueprint. Of a house. As I read the notes and examined the blueprint... I realized that this was the sketch of the house that my grandfather tried to build before he died and he passed it onto my grandmother. And on the top... Ohmygod, I'm going to cry... Says, "Otter's Dream Home" .

I asked my father about it and he told me that they've been planning it since I was little and said that once I graduate from high school or college or plan on having a family (or already have a family of my own) I could live there. It pissed me off that these freeloaders are staying, living and breathing in this house that's intentionally for me.

So with this, I realized how big my grandmother's heart is. So it hurts me to hear her in the condition that she's in because she's so independent and so strong, that it's hard to see her go... But the way that she's been treated by people close to her, by people who she worked so hard for, I think she deserves to rest. Away from all the pain and all the things that hurt her. I will miss her, like how I always do... But I know she'll be happier, healthier and most of all, she'll be able to reunite with my grandfather.

If ever there is a funeral, I pondered on whether I should go. I do want to go because I know that she'd love to see me but at the same time, I don't want to go because I will see those witches who I believe should die before their own mother. And, I don't want to be with my father. For he is one guy who hurt my grandmother... She worked her ass off for him but he doesn't do anything in return for her. He ignored her, pretends to care but only does when she's about to die. That's the person he is. I don't know if I'm willing to spend a hot afternoon with people who make my blood boil but I'm thinking if I should do it for the sake of my grandmother.