My mom and I moved to my grandpa and grandma’s house about four years ago because my grandma fell and broke her ankle. When we moved I didn’t like my grandpa; I guess I just didn’t know him. He is my step grandpa, but I call him Grandpa. My grandpa has Alzheimers. Alzheimers is a disease that in a way rots your brain and makes you forget things. About two years after we moved, I started to get to know my grandpa better. I didn’t talk to him very much. But about that time, my grandpa started to show signs of Alzheimers. Ever since then he’s forgotten a lot of things. Sometimes he forgets my grandma’s name and my name. In these last two years he has forgotten how to drive; he even got on the wrong side of the highway. He gets out of control. If he doesn’t get his way, he starts yelling. He makes a ton of messes that my grandma has to clean. In March of 2009, my grandma took him to Northview Manor Alzheimers Care Unit and now he lives there for now.
Have you heard the phrase “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone”? Well that phrase has a lot of meaning for me now. I wish I had spent a lot more time with my grandpa. Now that he is in Northview Manor I still go to visit him, but it’s not the same. I don’t get to see him whenever I want. I want him to come back, but it would make a lot of work for my grandma. I really miss him, but in this case it is good for him to be at Northview Manor for the care and help he needs. My grandma told him that he was going to stay at Northview Manor, and the sad part is he started crying. He often forgets that he’s staying there, and my grandma has to tell him again. Sometimes he gets mad and starts screaming. My grandma is thinking about bringing him back home, but I don’t think she’s sure.
He may be my step grandpa, but what matters is how I treat him and that I love him like my actual grandpa. Most people think of there step siblings as friends. But I thing of my step grandpa as my family. A few weeks ago at Northview Manor an elderly woman died. Ever since then all I can think about is having my grandpa here today and gone tomorrow. If someone in your family died you would probably feel just as bad. Just remember everyone has feelings and everyone matters.