"Our New Normal" by Alison F

     October 11, 2013, a normal day in our household, until we got the news. My family and I rushed to the hospital when we heard that my grandma was admitted. My sister and I were sitting in the backseat of the car wondering what was happening because no one had updated us yet. When we got there, my uncle was talking to my mom and my dad outside, telling them exactly what happened. When my parents walked back to us, my sister and I were waiting impatiently for them to tell us what happened. We soon found out that she was diagnosed with end stage copd, which is a severe shortness of breath even at rest. Everyday tasks left her more and more breathless as it was tougher for her to do anything at all. She ended up staying in ICU for 3 weeks and then was transferred to a rehabilitation center. Each day waiting for the news that she was progressing and getting better was difficult because we never knew when we would get that news. My entire family and I had to adjust our lives to this situation that has happened and it made us realize so much. We would go and visit her every single day and have different times when we would go so everyone still had time to work and do their daily tasks. I remembered,as the months passed by, having the doctor tell us ,“ Her condition is getting better and better as the days pass by and she is able to talk again.” We were all so happy to hear the news and when we would go and visit her we would tell her about our day and what was happening at that moment in time. Just hearing her respond to us would make us all feel better and her voice would comfort us. After a year passed, we thought she would be able to come back home with us and we would take care of her there, but we got unfortunate news. We were told that she was unable to return home, as her condition progressively worsened. She lost her ability to verbally communicate, breath on her own, and move without assistance. It broke all of our hearts when we heard this because she was the matriarch of our family and would be there for all of us when we needed her the most. We all came together as a family and decided to put our grief aside in order to be there for her the most and to not let it show that we were sad. We all learned how to communicate with her by learning different signs so we would understand as well. We also helped her get comfortable when she wasn’t and would ask the nurses to help her when she needed it. This whole situation took a major toll on my uncle, mom and especially my grandpa. My mom and uncle went searching around everywhere for the best long term rehabilitation center that she could stay in. After many different options, talking to the directors of the centers, and visiting them, they found a place that they loved the most, which was in Corona. My grandpa had to change his daily routine and adjust to his new life of being at home without her. Each and every one of us would do our share by helping out my grandpa doing his everyday errands to accompany him on his daily visits to the hospital to make sure he is eating and taking care of himself. Over the years, this situation has become our new normal, as she has still been in the hospital for 6 years so far. My family makes sure to still include her in everything that we do, by having everyone go

and visit on her birthday, as well as our own birthdays. We also make sure to decorate her room to accompany every holiday and make her feel special, especially on Christmas, since it is her favorite holiday. My family and I make sure to stick to all of these traditions so we make her feel that she is not excluded from any family events. We also take pictures of special events that we do so we can show her what we have been doing. Over the last 6 years, we have all learned to value every moment that we have with each other and not take any event or moment with anyone for granted.