Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Bis Abuela



A lot of people can't say that they ever met their great-grandparents and even less can say that they met their great-great grandparents. I got the chance to know two of my great grandmothers and one of my great grandfather, all three of them on my dad's side of the family. My great grandfather died when I was around 4 or 5 so I don't remember him very well. One of my great grandmothers (Abuela Yeya) passed away when I was 15. And my other great grandmother (Bis Abuela) is still alive. She is in her late 80s and very sick with dimentia (or alzheimer's). She was diagnosed a few years after my great-grandfather died. She now lives with my grandmother down in Miami. The past few times I have been down there I've been meaning to get a picture with her and Maddie so that Maddie has picures to remember her great-great grandmother but I kept forgetting. I finally did it this time though. Before I went down there my grandmother was telling me that she had been getting worse. Which is something that I noticed. Usually when I visited she seemed to know who I was. She would ask about my mom and the baby (I think she was referring to one of my brothers). She stopped asking about my mom after a while but she still seemed to know who I was. She doesn't speak any English but I know that since she had been sick she would say some off-the-wall things. This time when I went down there she couldn't walk by herself at all, she didn't seem to know who anyone was, she couldn't eat by herself at all and she didn't seem to remember what happened 5 minutes ago.


I remember a little bit of my great grandmother before she got sick, although I couldn't communicate with her too much because of the language barrier, but she would try. The last memory I have was going to see her at her new apartment that she had with my grandmother's sister.


The picture taking process was one of those funny disasters. We had to prop my great grandmother up with pillows. I tried to sit Maddie next to her but she was not having it. So me . Maddie, my grandmother and great grandmother were all in the picture. We kept having to lift my great grandmothers head up because she kept dropping it and when they told her to smile she would open her mouth real wide, bless her heart. And Madison was just being an uncooperative wiggle worm...










My dad took the pictures and they definately need to be cropped and photoshopped. But all-in-all I'm glad I got the pictures, especially for Maddie.

7 comments:

Denise said...

Sweet, sweet memories.

Kari said...

Beautiful and amazing. You are so blessed - you're right, not many have the chance. I did and am grateful. Beautiful you. Beautiful daughter. Have a great day.

Jenilee said...

fun pictures. you will be so thankful for them. i have pictures of my girls with their great-great grandparents on my husbands side and last year one of them passed and I'm so glad I have a picture for them. :)

Debbie Petras said...

How special and rare these photos are! It's unusual to have that many generations alive together. You're wise to get these photos while you can. Your daughter doesn't understand now but one day, I'm sure she'll treasure them.

Unknown said...

What language does she speak? Your grandparents have such unusual names you have me very curious where they were from. Did I miss it in the post?

Those pictures are precious.

Bird Shit said...

A lot of my family doesn't like taking pictures, but we force them too. They are memories that will last forever. I am glad your daughter will have them!

Mnemosyne said...

What wonderful photos to preserve that memory.


I've awarded you the honest crap award because I love your site and I know how hard it is to go to school to be a teacher and raise a daughter at the same time. We have a lot in common in that way! The info is on my site.