Letters upon letters
I arrived home from a work trip away to find a pile of correspondence on my countertop! Now this is not normal for me. I tend to be the one who sends out the letters or cards, but rarely do I receive any. Today I had quite the surprise! One set of letters was from my Grandmother’s nurse that cares for her on the 3-11 shift, Betty. I have never met Betty in person, but we have discussed Grammy a great deal over the phone. I can tell she’s one of those nurses who takes care of their patients like they were their own family member (I aspire to always be that kind of nurse). So I am always relieved when Betty is on the schedule for Gram.
Well, Betty took a picture of my Gram and some flowers that my Aunt and Dad had brought to her and it seems there was an extra copy of the picture. My gram wanted to send the copy to me and sweet Betty negotiated that she would do so only if my Gram wrote me a letter! And she did! I am including both correspondence. My Gram was not the one to write typically- it was my grandfather. So it was unique to get something from her.
Dear Jen, Chris and his girlfriend came by to visit a few minutes. I was very glad to see them. Even if it was a very short visit. We are not allowed to visit. We only see aides when we need help and for a short time. I love you!!!
Eugenia
This letter breaks my heart in a million ways. But most of all is the isolation she has had to endure, as has so many of our elders. It seems like its own kind of torture. Although I know they are doing their very best to prevent illness, somehow it doesn’t seem to capture all of their health. I just wonder what the long-term effects there will be on all of us. Alas.
The other set of letters was from a relative who was a medic in WWI and he wrote home. The very first letter I picked up included talk of the Spanish flu (It was written in 1918)! How ironic that we are currently in a global pandemic which is keeping me away from my Gram and our ancestors were in a similar boat 100 years ago. Time weaves and stories interchange as history repeats itself.
Here is also the next letter in my own series. I am still working on how I am organizing this project for it to be a readable book, but I appreciate all of you who are on the journey with me as I find my voice and my story.
