Brendan was a year and a half old when we found out grandpa had cancer. Coming home from the hospital weak and on oxygen was not easy for any of us but it seemed especially scary to Brendan. Possibly the noise from the concentrator made him nervous. Or just the the nose tubing itself was the reason. (as I wear oxygen myself I get odd looks from my two year old grandson ... yes, Brendan's son lol)
Brendan was always playful and cheery however, when close to grandpa he was stiff as a board and seemed emotionless. I remember on Father's Day grandpa's Godchild, Ann, and a friend came to visit. The friend was going to play the penny whistle for dad so I put Brendan on my dad's bed. He instantly froze. I took him off and he just stood across the room listening to the music.
Five days later would be grandpa's last. My mother arranged for hospice to come as dad was getting harder to care for. The hospice nurse showed up around 10:00 am
I don't know if Brendan understood what was being said or if he just had a feeling. He left the kitchen and went towards the room where grandpa was. I didn't rush because I knew Brendan hadn't, to this point, gone close to grandpa or the equipment. Arriving at the door of his room I found Brendan standing on the bed frame leaning over his grandpa looking to the door as watching for me. When he saw me he turned toward grandpa and gave him a kiss on the cheek as grandpa kissed him back.
He then came over to me hugging my leg. He looked up at me, then toward grandpa, and again at me as to say he's dying mom can't you do anything. I have always believed with Brendan being so young and grandpa being so close to death they shared a special 'heavenly' bond that day. Grandpa was gone within the hour.
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