April 2005 The Megaphone Page 6
In Memory of My Grandmother . . .
Hilda
(Kane) Brunson, November 16, 1916
–
by Shelley Runyan
One
day while walking on the beach, I found a fragment of what must have been a
magnificent conch shell…a remnant of a masterpiece, an exquisite shard. I
tried to imagine the part as the whole when it was at its best, before it was
broken by the churning sea . . . and time. The shell must have been an elegant
exoskeleton, a prime example of its species. Now, all that remained was a chunk
of pink and white shell, its scalloped edge chipped and scratched. Its complex
shape, intricate design, and brilliant colors had vanished as the crashing surf
took its toll. I thought of my grandmother, a victim of Alzheimer's disease for
seven or eight years. At age 87, she resided in an Alzheimer’s wing of a
nursing home. In recent years, she became an exquisite shard of the magnificent
person she once was, before she was broken by a degenerative disease . . . and time.
She was the remnant of a masterpiece.
Those
of us who knew her in her prime still saw her as the loving mother and
fun-loving grandmother she used to be. We knew her as the caring listener, the
confidante and friend, and the lover of laughter and music. We loved her all the
more for the change in herself that she had to endure.
Those
who knew her in her later years saw only the shell of a once-vital person, a
lovely fragment of a magnificent individual. As caregivers for the elderly, it
must be difficult to imagine the people they work with as the young people they
once were. As they feed them, walk with them, change their clothes, endure angry
outbursts, bathe them, and tuck them in at night, please know that families and
friends . . . and the individuals themselves . . . are grateful when they show respect
and kindness, and handle them as gently as a once-exquisite shell.
Class
of 1981
Indianapolis,
IN
Easter Sunday
by Louise (Mountcastle) Romine
I went to my daughter Jonelle's for Easter and took my camcorder for the purpose
of keeping some memories.
Two of my great granddaughters were there itching to hunt some hidden Easter
Eggs. It had to be done in the house due to the rain. It wasn't raining
cats and dogs, just peppering off and on . . . besides, we didn't want to deal
with health issues.
We ate a very fine meal prepared by our host, Jonelle, who also made everyone an
Easter Basket made out of Milk jugs and lots of colored cotton balls. The
ears were 2 striped straws, the whiskers made with thin ribbon, and the eyes and
nose were shiny pennies. She cut out a big mouth exposing small gifts and
goodies, nestled in shredded newspaper . . . a good idea since the Dollar Store
was out of grass!
The little girls are also talented and they played the piano for us (at the same
time). I still wonder why the grown ups closed the French doors without saying a
word. I think I would have heard them if they had said something.
Hunting the Easter Eggs was fun. They were the plastic kind with money or
candy in them. One real egg got the "prize." The youngest (Kailey)
found it and the oldest (Chyann) was holding her breath to see how much Kailey
had just won. $1.00 was not so much which brought a sigh of relief from
Chyann as she said "Boy, I'm glad I didn't find that one!!" That
almost brought the house down! Laughter is good!!
It was time for me to leave and Chyann must go with great-nana to visit with the
Poms and the 2 Texas mixed breeds.
As we neared the entrance to the park, Chyann was by this time begging to go in
the park for a little while so she could swing. I told her, "But it's
raining." She said, "It's not raining that much." And she was
right . . . she had a warm jacket and hood, so in we go.
We weren't the only ones there. Six grown ups got out of a car with a child who
ran to the Curly Slide. We stayed in the truck to see if the rain had
changed the slide from slick to duuuh! Nope . . . down she came . . . faster
than I expected her too.
By this time Chyann had decided to take a spin on the merry-go-round. I couldn't
make it go fast enough to tickle her fancy so she hopped off saying "This
way," and held on running along beside it. I was afraid she'd fall
down, and sure enough, she did. With a shocked look, she just giggled, jumped up
and ran to the Curly Slide. I said "Ok, maybe that little girl wiped
the rain off for you."
I got her on film as she was waved at the top of the slide . . . "Wheeeee!"
. . . and down she came.d I thought she'd want to go on it again, but she
came running to me ready to leave . . . stuttering out a statement, "Nope!
She didn't get all the rain!!"
Climbing the stairs to the attic, she could hardly wait to see herself and
Kailey on the television hunting Easter Eggs and playing the piano. All the
while my dogs were yiping for her to take some time out for them.
I've finally learned that the best way to pick up my Poms is to sit on the couch
and let them jump up there with me.
Now picture this . . . remember the commercial with the little boy laughing
really hard while several puppies licked his face? Well, that's the way it
was . . . making good memories . . . Easter Sunday.
Submitted by . . .
Louise (Mountcastle) Romine '56
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