mckay
Junior Sitter
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Post by mckay on Dec 30, 2007 23:15:32 GMT -5
I finally got to read this one - I found it at a Goodwill with a bunch of LS books I didn't have (and some BSC mysteries). It was so sad. Granny and Grandad seemed so nice, and it was sad that Karen and Andrew couldn't even really go visit Grandad in the hospital before he died.
I also know how Karen felt when she wished she could have told her Grandad about Evelyn's babies. We're getting a kitten in a few weeks, and my grandfather would be so excited - he loved babies (baby cats, baby dogs, baby people, anything little!) and would have liked this little guy.
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sarish
Sitting For The Papadakis's
Posts: 1,618
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Post by sarish on Jan 6, 2008 23:27:32 GMT -5
^ I too found this one at Goodwill, with 10 other Little Sister ones I did not have. I cried my eyes out. It made me miss my own grandmother so much because we were close the way Karen was to her Grandad.
I agree that it was very sad that they weren't allowed to see him before he died. I was very glad to have been there with my grandmother, holding her hand, when she passed away. I can't imagine not having been able to say goodbye to her.
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Post by aln1982 on Jan 7, 2008 1:03:49 GMT -5
^ Sorry about your grandmother. Just curious but how old were you when she died? Wondering because I think this can be a good thing but only if the kid is old enough to understand. My little cousin was 4 when Grandpa died and I can still remember having to carry her out of his room screaming and crying because my aunt made her kiss him after he had died. She's still traumatized by death. I agree that Karen and Andrew should have gotten to see Grandad when he was just in the hospital, though.
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sarish
Sitting For The Papadakis's
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Post by sarish on Jan 7, 2008 8:47:50 GMT -5
I had just had my 19th birthday. My grandmother died in the best way possible. In her own house, with her four daughters and my sister (who was 36) and I around her all night long. I definitely think that 4 is WAY too young to be exposed to such things. I would be traumatized to. I was ready though. God prepared me for my grandmother's death with two dogs dying when I was 17 and 18. The second time my parents were in another country and I had to do all the vet things and watched my dog have a seizure and die in my arms.
I honestly cannot believe someone would make a four year old do that! I am glad you were able to get her out of there. It was weird that you were the only one who was able to. Very "Kristy" like of you!!!!
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Post by aln1982 on Jan 7, 2008 11:06:43 GMT -5
^ I was only 15 at the time but have never gotten very emotional about death (not that I don't care or grieve in my own way but I just handle death very "rationally - kind of like someone who deals with it on a routine basis would) The rest of my family, though, tends to react very emotionally and basically lose their brains in upsetting situations. ;D Of course, the aunt who did it totally lacks common sense on a good day. ;D (She's not my cousin's mother - her own mother was a total wreck....) Looking back, I probably handled the entire thing like Kristy would have. I still remember that I was the one who "prepped" my cousin for the funeral and who the whole family kind of leaned on. I think that's another reason this book impacted me so much. I think Karen was pretty strong for 7, too, and handled it pretty well.
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sarish
Sitting For The Papadakis's
Posts: 1,618
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Post by sarish on Jan 7, 2008 15:00:19 GMT -5
You sound a lot like Kristy. In my mind, you are becoming Kristy! Honestly, I cannot read a book about Kristy without picturing your avatar and name! It is pretty funny.
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Post by aln1982 on Jan 7, 2008 17:21:22 GMT -5
^ Ah! That is so funny. ;D I guess I am a lot like her, which might be why she was my favorite as a kid. I'm a lot more sensitive than her, though (kind of a combo of MA and Kristy in some ways) and not quite as tactless (at least I hope not ;D) or athletic in terms of strength.
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Post by sweetvalleygirl99 on Jan 7, 2008 21:18:55 GMT -5
My little cousin was 4 when Grandpa died and I can still remember having to carry her out of his room screaming and crying because my aunt made her kiss him after he had died. She's still traumatized by death. I agree that Karen and Andrew should have gotten to see Grandad when he was just in the hospital, though. I can't believe someone would make a four year old do that either, that's just awful! I was fifteen when my grandma died and my mom still didn't make me do anything like that; in fact I wasn't even at the hospital with her when she died because my mom knew it would freak me out for life (she described her dying like something out of a movie with the monitors and the last rites and stuff and felt that I didn't need to be there). I'm glad you got your cousin out of the room . And Karen and Andrew did get to see Grandad in the hospital, but only through a window because they wouldn't let children go see people in the hospital. I thought that sucked, you'd think that they'd let immediate family, including children, in .
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sarish
Sitting For The Papadakis's
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Post by sarish on Jan 8, 2008 8:49:20 GMT -5
Oh yeah, I remember that. When I was little (I think 7) and my youngest niece was born, I had to stand outside, while everyone else including my older brother and other niece was able to go in. My mom snuck my baby niece out to see me. I definitely think that Karen and Andrew should have been allowed in. A grandparent would love to see their grandchildren and hold them before they die.
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Post by aln1982 on Jan 8, 2008 10:15:40 GMT -5
^ My aunt lied to get me in (I was 10 not 12) when my cousin was born. ;D As for kids going in, the only thing I see wrong with it is if they disturb the patients. I'm thinking of my grandpa saying "please don't let Donna (my aunt) bring the kids because I'm too tired...." over and over on the morning he died. He loved them dearly but they were not the best behaved 4 yr old and 6 month old and my aunt seemed to think that bringing them would "cheer him up" which it did but only until they were running around and so naughty that it was impossible for him to get any rest. But Karen and Andrew are well behaved so I don't see a problem with them. My little cousins though are not kids you'd want in the hospital visiting you..... I know from experience after I had surgery 6 months before Grandpa died and it was like "get them out of here!" I think it depends on the situation but the rules should be relaxed in some cases.
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Post by aln1982 on Jan 8, 2008 17:08:17 GMT -5
I hope my posts didn’t make my grandpa sound cold or anything like that because he totally wasn’t. He was a lot like Grandad, in fact, which is why I really like the granddad books. At the end, though, he had been sick for a very long time and was tired in many ways….. Sorry, too, to keep going on with my personal stories. This book just brings back a lot of memories for me and it’s nice to have someplace to talk about them.
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sarish
Sitting For The Papadakis's
Posts: 1,618
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Post by sarish on Jan 8, 2008 19:39:31 GMT -5
^ I don't mind you sharing personal stories. I like hearing about different people. I also don't think you made your Grandpa sound cold! Most people would have the same reaction to little kids after a while, especially when they are sick.
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Post by sweetvalleygirl99 on Jan 8, 2008 21:10:32 GMT -5
I don't mind you sharing your personal stories either Aln. I love hearing about other people . You also didn't make your grandpa sound cold. A lot of people act that way about kids when they're sick. It doesn't mean that they hate anybody, it's just that they're sick.
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mckay
Junior Sitter
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Post by mckay on Jan 8, 2008 23:17:35 GMT -5
I like kids, and I don't think I'd want them around if I were seriously ill! They mean well, but they need so much attention, and they can be so loud and frenetic that it would be really exhausting.
I did get to visit my grandmother in the hospital when I was seven, though, after her first stroke, and no one complained. I was quiet and well-behaved, though. She had a little personal TV with headphones, so I mostly watched that while the adults talked.
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Post by aln1982 on Jan 9, 2008 17:28:28 GMT -5
^ I was about 7 when my grandpa had his stroke and visited him, too. Of course, I was also a well behaved child. ;D Imagine my little cousin, though, as Karen and Jamie Newton combined at their most hyperness (no "indoor voice" for that child - she's the loudest person I've ever met ;D) with a bit of Pamela's brattiness and that was her. ;D I never understand people with visiting patients in the hospital. Some people can be really rude about it. We have these friends who came after my mom had surgery and then again after my dad had bypass surgery and camped out forever. It was like "LEAVE!" Fortunately, my aunt who lacked common sense and took my cousin in to see my grandpa is also very great at tactfully getting people to leave so can be useful in some situations. Thankfully she was there to gracefully evict the annoying friends. ;D
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