# My 96 yr-old Grandma is dying young **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 21, 2002, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-96-yr-old-grandma-is-dying-young/137873 "2002-11-21T04:35:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-96-yr-old-grandma-is-dying-young/137873/1 "2002-11-21T04:35:19Z")
My 96 [Grandma](http://www.geocities.com/sepia_solace/photos/nana.jpg) is in hospice care. Normally the women on her side of the family live until they are about 102, which means she’s dying rather young. Her ancestors are considered to be “founding families” of the U.S.A. They showed up in the American southwest in the 1530s. I don’t think she was ever taller than 4’8". She lived in an agricultural area with Spanish as a first language. She tended to worry a lot. When I was three years old, I kicked her in the shin because I thought she looked like Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street. She taught me how to make tortillas. I’m going to go and say goodbye. I wish she could have lived a full century, but she’s been pretty annoyed with the last five years. She’s lived a full life and then some. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-96-yr-old-grandma-is-dying-young/137873/2 "2002-11-21T10:19:19Z")
☹ I’m terribly sorry for you upcoming loss. (God, but it feels tacky to say that.) ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-96-yr-old-grandma-is-dying-young/137873/3 "2002-11-21T11:42:29Z")
Your Grandma has a wonderful grandchild to care so much and to tell us about her, **Charmian**. Thank you. My sympathies, and best wishes for you and your family. ---
**Author:** ![Elenfair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cc9497/32.png) [@Elenfair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elenfair)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-96-yr-old-grandma-is-dying-young/137873/4 "2002-11-21T13:01:15Z")
Take care, Charmian. Treasure the memories you have, celebrate the life you remember 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-96-yr-old-grandma-is-dying-young/137873/5 "2002-11-21T13:06:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Michael Ellis \* > \*\*☹ > > I’m terribly sorry for you upcoming loss. (God, but it feels tacky to say that.) \*\* It is bizzare isn’t it? I’ll be packing to go home and it seems rather weird to be “going home for a funeral” for someone who isn’t dead yet. Her systems are shutting down and she’s no longer eating (not hungry). So there really is nothing to be done but make her comfortable. Due to an uncommon neurological condition, her mind is mostly gone – so she has no interest in what’s going on around her and has kept her eyes shut for weeks. It’s sad for the family, but she’s very, very old and it’s her time. She’s comfortable – not in any pain at all – surrounded by family (though she’s so unresponsive you can’t even tell if she’s asleep or awake.) Not a bad away to go: Cozy warm with kids, grandkids and great grandkids dropping in to visit. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-96-yr-old-grandma-is-dying-young/137873/6 "2002-11-21T14:26:52Z")
Hi Charmian, Big hugs for you and your Grandma. My Grandma is 94, and still doing well. I hope she makes it to 96! ME ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-96-yr-old-grandma-is-dying-young/137873/7 "2002-11-21T20:45:41Z")
\*\*Charmian, \*\* if you feel like it, tell us more about your Grandma’s life. Mine is almost 98 and I never get tired of the stories. we’ll be keeping you in our thoughts and prayers. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-96-yr-old-grandma-is-dying-young/137873/8 "2002-11-22T01:32:07Z")
My great-grandmother is 101. I’m dreading THAT call, and it could come any day now, or not for a few more years. (I’m not kidding. She’s one tough old lady.) Really, really old people are NEAT. _hugs for **Charmian** and Grandma and assorted family_ ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-96-yr-old-grandma-is-dying-young/137873/9 "2002-11-22T02:33:15Z")
Hugs to you. My Grammie left last year at age 93. She was lucid, beautiful and funny right up to the end. From her, I learned how to age elegantly, but still remain a complete looney right to the end.