So...just from the title of this post, I'm sure to come off as kind of an asshole. But if you have read my blog before, then you know
I am kind of an asshole.
People die. Yup, I totally said it. Edward from the Twilight movies is not going to come save us and turn us into sparkly awesome looking creatures. It's a fact of life. I hope we all get really, really, old before we die.
I'm not very family oriented (thanks mom and dad), so the whole visiting people in the hospital makes me uncomfortable. I didn't really talk to you while you were alive, now all of a sudden I'm going to show up and we're going to reminisce about shit that doesn't matter.
When I am looking down the tunnel of darkness or the tunnel of light in a hospital bed, depending on who you ask, please don't come and visit me. I look like shit in some tiny bed while an artificial light makes my skin washed out. You don't need to say your last goodbyes to me. If we were friends you would have already spent a whole bunch of awesome time with me.
You know what I do when I visit people in the hospital? I stand and stare at them or I sit and stare at them. Kind of boring right? I can already hear the peanut gallery moaning in disbelief at my words. I'm sorry that I feel this way, but hospitals aren't exactly a time for catching up. Don't you think the person in the hospital is thinking, "Shit, I'm a goner, all these people that I haven't seen in forever keep coming to say hello."
Right now both of my grandparents are in the hospital. My grandfather has been dying since my father met my mother (like 35 years ago). At least that's what my dad jokes about when we talk about my grandfather's health. We call him Pappy. Pappy has had several heart attacks, ball cancer, butt cancer, leukemia; the man just will not quit. But at some point there is going to be an end.
I visited him recently while he was at the "Old Folks Home" recuperating from his last venture to the hospital. There I stood around and stared at him, occasionally arguing with one of his nephews about why I don't want to have children.
Side note- People really get offended when I tell them I don't want kids. Apparently, people just expect that when you become an adult, have kids that suck all your money up until you're ready to retire. I give them real reasons like, my life is awesome already, or I like to go on rad vacations with my husband, or I don't like kids. They don't like that and feel the need to argue with me. I've been told I'm missing out on one of the greatest joys ever. Guess, what? I'll pass.
Back to the story where everyone dies....
Pappy has been in this "Old Folks Home" for a couple weeks now. His oxygen levels have really sucked and generally my grandmother cannot take care of him. His oxygen levels have dropped so much that he is now in the hospital. He has been there since Monday. When did I find this out? This morning. Yeah, my family has really bad reporting skills when it comes matters of life and death. I remember when my great grandmother died they didn't tell me until Monday. She died on a Friday. Their excuse, they didn't want to ruin my weekend. O M G.
Another thing about getting information from my family is no one really knows the full story. I get bits and pieces of probably incorrect information. And my family always assumes it's the hospital or rehab place that's killing them. It couldn't possibly be that THEY ARE FUCKIN OLD AND THEIR SHIT IS FUCKED UP. When I went to visit my grandfather my aunt Lisa was convinced that this rehab place was awesome. Now that my grandfather is doing poorly, the rehab place must have caused it. I say to her, well if that's the case maybe you should sue them.
I'm pretty they won't have a cure for death when it's my time to go. When I die I don't want people moping and crying about. In fact, I'd like to take a page from the African American folks. It seems, at least on tv and in movies, that they have a celebration of life after a person passes. It's not this dreary depressing sad service. In my mind it should be a large party talking about the good times we had together. In fact, I don't even want a funeral. All a funeral does is line the pockets of other people. Just cremate the shit out of me and toss me in a vineyard, or off a cliff, or in the trash can. I'm dead, I don't give a shit. I want to have a party at a winery where everyone will eat and get drunk.
And please, if you didn't like me in life, don't show up to my "Death Party". You're not fuckin invited. Don't get all high and mighty now that I'm gone and talk about the good times. If you didn't like me, there were no good times.
Ok, back to the whole we dying thing. As I was talking to my aunt and she was filling me in on the events around my grandfather, she then mentions that my grandmother is also in the hospital. What!?! They found out she has blood cancer and they want to send her to a hospice. In my mind, hospice is the last stop. You don't go to hospice to get better. So, now I gotta visit both grandparents in the hospital. Funny thing is at least I don't have to make any special trips to see them. Maybe I'll have hit another button of the elevator.
My aunt of course is vehemently opposed to my grandmother going into hospice. I don't have all the details, because I always get the information from a third party. Someone is always telling someone else to tell me. My aunt believes that my grandmother is functional and can get outpatient treatment. I'm not sure how serious the cancer is, but my family's odd religion prohibits them from accepting blood transfusions. Even to save their life. I don't know about the rest of them, but I like life, and if I need a blood transfusion, damn it, I'm taking it.
I guess I'll end this semi depressing blog by saying this, some say life's a bitch and then you die. But guess what? You choose how awesome your life is going to be. I choose awesomeness. And when I go out in a moderate blaze of glory, do not feel sorry for me. You can't special order awesome.
