My sister recently re-sent me an email that our grandmother had sent to her about a year before she died from ALS. My grandmother had a rare form of ALS which impacted her ability to speak and swallow long before it impacted her ability to walk and otherwise function normally. She could still go to the store, work in the garden, and play solitaire.
She was reluctant to embrace new technology but as it became impossible for her to speak and use the telephone, she did start to use email to communicate, albeit sparingly. We got her a new computer specifically for this purpose but every time I went over there the only thing I ever saw her use the computer for was to play solitaire on the computer instead of using a deck of playing cards.
She tried using email, but just never got totally comfortable with it. Here is the email my sister forwarded to me:
"Dear Em Are you still planning on coming next week? You are always welcome. I hope the cold weather stops soon. What are you doing for excitement? I went up to Penny,s yesterday and bought a pair of slacks and a jersey. I took them back this morning. Love Gram"
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Did she use the cupholder that came with the computer?
ReplyDeleteNo, I do not think she was even aware of the tower with the built in cupholder. To her, "the computer" was the monitor. When she "turned off the computer" she simply turned the monitor off. The tower was running 24/7.
ReplyDeleteYour inheritance was used to pay her electricity bill.
ReplyDeleteWhatever made her happy was fine with me.
ReplyDeleteTrue....I'm sure living with ALS she had bigger things to worry about than whether she left you enough money to support your proclivities.
ReplyDeleteShe worried about that a lot but I think my brother and I alleviated her fears when we told her to spend every penny she had if she wanted to and we would not be at all upset.
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