I was there when it happened. My Grandpa had a stroke. It was two o’clock in the morning. I happened to have woken up to go to the bathroom but something held me back, and then I heard my Grandma’s panicked voice saying “Wake up Michelle something is happening to your father”. Michelle is my aunt, and she shot up out of her bed to join my grandpa’s side. Their panic frightened me, especially when I heard the nearing sound of ambulance sirens. I stayed anxious in my bed, too scared to walk upstairs to what awaited me. About twenty minutes passed when my uncle came downstairs to wake up my sister, cousins, and me. He spoke slowly with sympathy in his eyes, telling us how our grandpa had been taken to the hospital in Rockford. He explained how they were unsure exactly what had happened but assured us he was in good hands and they would make him well again. No one could fall back asleep because worry engrossed our minds. What happened? Will he get better? Why him? Lindsay, my sister, and I were informed that we would be picked up early the next day and taken to the hospital where my ailing Grandpa awaited our get well visit.

But when we got there all was not well. We had found out that my grandpa had a right sided stroke which meant he would have to work hard to regain movement on his left side and his speech had been lost. We sat near his bed side for a couple hours when it was time to leave I had looked at him with tears swelling up in both of our eyes (strokes cause the victim to be emotional) I said, “I love you more than anything Grandpa.” He could not speak yet I knew that he was trying to say,” I love you too.” Many other things that before he could do perfectly fine he now couldn’t do like moving the right side of his body and talking and now he has to take a total of 16 pills a day, has to take a nap in the middle of the day and has a breathing machine for when he sleeps.

All the years before I would have never guessed that this would happen to him. He used to always take my cousins and I fishing. Even though I was the only girl I was also the best fisher! I was grandpa fishing buddy that was the only thing that we could both do together. We often had who can catch the most fish contests. I normally won, because I couldn’t bait my own hook or take off a fish so he was too busy with me than getting his own line out yet he didn’t once complain. Grandpa also introduced me to than anywhere else. New things like kayaking. Kayaking is something I would have never tried but when my grandpa came home with a kayak he would not let me turn down this new experience. Every weekend we would kayak from sunrise to sunset. I would rather be kayaking in sunset next my grandpa than anywhere else.

When Grandpa had his stroke he could no longer do those things. The things he most enjoyed and he had to refrain from doing. I missed my grandpa he was still alive but now we could not do the things we enjoyed doing together.

The next summer all was well again, and Grandpa was out fishing on his kayak while I was next to him in the kayak he bought. My Grandpa was back and I was over joyed. We could have fun with each other again. The only problem with this is that now even though we could do fun things we had to take precautions. I now had to learn how to bait my own and his hook and take fish off because if he started bleeding he would not stop due to the Kumaden he had to take 3 times a day. We had to have people help him get in and out of his kayak.

This has changed me in so many ways now I know how to be responsible for more people than just me and I have learned to take care of people like my grandpa. It has also changed me because now I know that every moment with a loved one should be enjoyed as much as possible because you never no when its going to come to a halt. I realize that humans are just like a fragile piece of glass and should be treated with love and respect. I look at life differently now it is no longer just what I do everyday it is now one big opportunity to strive for love and happiness. I t is the greatest honor one can receive and should be a privilege to all, and I am glad that my grandpa was able to still have that privilege because so many people love value him. Grandpa is the beautiful sun rising up to brighten everyone day he is that ripple in a completely still pool of water always different from everyone else, he is the colorful masterpiece fall brings when red brown green and yellow leaves that scatter among the ground that makes you just want to sit relax watch and listen to because he just has so much to say but most importantly he is my grandpa.