Sunday, August 16, 2009

IMMORTALS

I have come to the conclusion that Brad's grandparents are immortal. All four of them. I have never in my life met people so resiliant. Brad's grandmother was diagnosed with cancer several years ago (in her 80's). You automatically assume it is the beginning of the end, right? Wrong. She beat it. It came back. She beat it again and appears to be continuing that trend. She is now nearing ninety.

On Saturday morning, we got a call from Brad's dad saying that his almost 91 year old grandfather (husband to the cancer kicker) was involved in a terrible accident. The night before he was burning trash outside and there was an explosion. He literally caught on fire himself. He had sense enough to drop to the ground and roll, however, that didn't help. So he grabbed a water hose and put himself out. He then went inside, and got granny to help him peel his polyester jumpsuit off of him. The jumpsuit literally melted to his skin. After they get it off, he takes a shower. It wasn't until a little while later that he decided to call 911. He has 2nd and possibly 3rd degree burns on his entire right arm, his back, part of his face and his ear. So he goes to the hospital, and they said he has a 50/50 chance of making it. Turns out, his heart is only functioning at 30% and they aren't sure it's going to keep up. They decide to transport him to the burn unit out of town. We get in the car and head to the hospital about four hours away. Turns out, he is going to be totally fine. We actually got to visit with him today and he said it wasn't so bad. He is bummed about the recovery, but he said he is ok. He is on some strong medicine, he is 90 years old, and he still managed to recount all the details to us. He told us stories about how he used to do this kind of thing all the time. I mean the more he talked (keep in mind completely drugged), the more I thought, "MAN! Gramps is sharp!" And apparently strong!

Brad's other set of grandparents are just as strong and healthy. It blows my mind! Three of my four grandparents have long since passed away, and the one remaining has alzheimers and is living in a nursing home.

I can only hope that Brad takes after them and is in that great of shape 60 years from now! I am sure I will be long gone, LOL! I really do think they are immortal. Maybe they are secret super heroes or something. Whatever the case may be, we are praising Jesus that Gramps is going to be ok! God love him, I told him I hoped he learned his lesson. He said, "No, this was just a freak accident. I will probably still burn my trash." UGH!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

He sounds like a superhero or one of the X-Men! I hope he does do well with his recovery.

Here's our grandparental run-down: Jeff's first grandparent died when he was 6 or so, the next when he was 9. Fast forward to the 90's and his remaining grandfather dies in his late 80's. Fast forward to last year and his last grandparent, Mawmaw Hicks, dies just short of her 94th birthday.

I lost my first grandparent when I was 20 (she was 2 days past her 62nd birthday) and the next one a few weeks before Andrew was born. My maternal grandmother died on NYE 2003 and my last grandparent died when my dad's dad died of TB (after exposing all of us because he was misdiagnosed) in 2005.

my point is this: Brad is so fortunate. I think about my grandparents and it just makes me sad. Not just their deaths, but the lives they led prior to their deaths (LONG stories there). I still get choked up thinking about Mawmaw Hicks dying.

Now I have written a small book in your comments. Not the first or last time. Sorry! (and I need to go to bed before i get even more teary)

Tara. said...

That is so special that Brad still has his Grandparents here on earth with him. Sounds like God isn't quite done with them yet! :o)

Valerie and Jeff said...

Oh my goodness! I am amazed and thankful that he is okay and has such great longevity! I'm thinking he must be at least part superhero. Grandparents can be such a blessing and it sounds like he is!