Malena
It's been a roller coaster of a week. I honestly don't remember what happened Sunday-Tuesday, but Wednesday morning I heard the most heartbreaking news ever. "Malena died". Malena is my maternal grandmother, the only grandparent I had left. My paternal grandmother died 11 years ago in August. Both my grandfathers died when I was a toddler. I met one of them but I don't remember. I really loved both my grandmothers very much but I grew closer to Malena because she would come visit USA more often and we would spend summers with her when I was growing up. Malena was a child at heart, she loved all her kids and grand kids, great grand kids, great great grand kids (yea, our family reproduces like none other). My mom and other cousins spoke of her fondly always. They always talked about how she provided for everyone, no matter what. She was very near and dear to their hearts. And mine also.
I remember one year my sister and I went alone to El Salvador, it was sooo much fun! She took us to a wedding, I was about 9 years old, and she let me and my older cousins stay at the wedding til 4 am!!! That was awesome. Another time was when I was outside my aunt's house talking with one of my cousins, Raquel, and we were eating mamones and I got the seed stuck in my throat, Raquel just looked at me and was like OMGGG, so I ran inside the house and looked for Malena and she was like what's wrong?? and I pointed to my throat and she stuck her finger inside my mouth and took out the mamon in a second, I don't even know how she did it. Then she stuck a piece of bread in my mouth. I was like why???? She said so it wouldn't hurt so I just ate the bread not understanding why I needed it. She knew best. Another time I went to El Salvador, I had a cast on and my mom sent specific instructions to my grandmother to take me to the doctors so they can take off the cast in 2 parts. The first time we went the doctors took off half the cast with this tiny saw they had, and my grandmother just looked at them to see how it was done. You know why? Because when I had to take off the entire cast, we did not visit the doctor, she was like no need, waste of time and money, we can do it at home. AT HOME?!?!?!? Um, how? She had some construction people over the house and called over one of the guys and said hey, bring your saw. I WAS TERRIFIED. I cried and was like noooo, take me to the doctors and my grandmother is like stop being a baby, it's not going to hurt you. I ask the construction guy, do you know when to stop? He said yea, when I see red. AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! But of course, he was joking and they cut off my cast, I was still the drama queen and cried the entire time but it was fine, it didn't hurt, they gave me ice cream afterwards and I was fine.
I have a ton of stories of when I was younger and I spent time with my grandmother, but as an adult, the times I spent were very few and far in between. I talked to her on the phone every once in a while. I didn't travel to El Salvador much, in fact, last time I went (which is the last time I saw her) was in 2006 I believe. I had a feeling she knew that would be the last time I saw her because the morning we were leaving to come back home, she was across the room, we had made this huge circle because someone was going to pray for a safe return and of all my cousins and aunts and uncles, she came and stood next to me and held my hand. I couldn't help but cry and asked her why? She said, I know you don't come often, this may be the last time I see you. She told me she loved me and to take care of my mom and sister. I just cried and cried. I hated when she talked about death. But she was so calm about it, she was like I lived a wonderful life, I have so many people that love me. It's true, she does have soooo many people that loved her and appreciated her soo much.
I don't feel guilty for not having gone recently to see her. It was some weird peace feeling I had, I spoke to her a couple a weeks ago and we laughed and joked around about a lot of things. We were both content with the relationship we had. I loved the fact that she always defended me when I had arguments with my mother. But she always said, take care of her. I really need to do that now. My mom is the youngest of her siblings and the one that everyone goes to for EVERYTHING. My grandmother always said that my mom was one of the best daughters, I saw it too, my mom doted on my grandmother so much. I'm so glad my mom had the chance to talk to her the night before she passed. I heard them on the phone laughing and carrying on and my mom told us she said hi. I just never expected that a few hours later she would say Malena died. I'm still in disbelief. I don't think it'll hit me until I go over there and see that she's not there. But I have wonderful memories that I will continue to reminisce about. Can't wait to see her again.
I remember one year my sister and I went alone to El Salvador, it was sooo much fun! She took us to a wedding, I was about 9 years old, and she let me and my older cousins stay at the wedding til 4 am!!! That was awesome. Another time was when I was outside my aunt's house talking with one of my cousins, Raquel, and we were eating mamones and I got the seed stuck in my throat, Raquel just looked at me and was like OMGGG, so I ran inside the house and looked for Malena and she was like what's wrong?? and I pointed to my throat and she stuck her finger inside my mouth and took out the mamon in a second, I don't even know how she did it. Then she stuck a piece of bread in my mouth. I was like why???? She said so it wouldn't hurt so I just ate the bread not understanding why I needed it. She knew best. Another time I went to El Salvador, I had a cast on and my mom sent specific instructions to my grandmother to take me to the doctors so they can take off the cast in 2 parts. The first time we went the doctors took off half the cast with this tiny saw they had, and my grandmother just looked at them to see how it was done. You know why? Because when I had to take off the entire cast, we did not visit the doctor, she was like no need, waste of time and money, we can do it at home. AT HOME?!?!?!? Um, how? She had some construction people over the house and called over one of the guys and said hey, bring your saw. I WAS TERRIFIED. I cried and was like noooo, take me to the doctors and my grandmother is like stop being a baby, it's not going to hurt you. I ask the construction guy, do you know when to stop? He said yea, when I see red. AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! But of course, he was joking and they cut off my cast, I was still the drama queen and cried the entire time but it was fine, it didn't hurt, they gave me ice cream afterwards and I was fine.
I have a ton of stories of when I was younger and I spent time with my grandmother, but as an adult, the times I spent were very few and far in between. I talked to her on the phone every once in a while. I didn't travel to El Salvador much, in fact, last time I went (which is the last time I saw her) was in 2006 I believe. I had a feeling she knew that would be the last time I saw her because the morning we were leaving to come back home, she was across the room, we had made this huge circle because someone was going to pray for a safe return and of all my cousins and aunts and uncles, she came and stood next to me and held my hand. I couldn't help but cry and asked her why? She said, I know you don't come often, this may be the last time I see you. She told me she loved me and to take care of my mom and sister. I just cried and cried. I hated when she talked about death. But she was so calm about it, she was like I lived a wonderful life, I have so many people that love me. It's true, she does have soooo many people that loved her and appreciated her soo much.
I don't feel guilty for not having gone recently to see her. It was some weird peace feeling I had, I spoke to her a couple a weeks ago and we laughed and joked around about a lot of things. We were both content with the relationship we had. I loved the fact that she always defended me when I had arguments with my mother. But she always said, take care of her. I really need to do that now. My mom is the youngest of her siblings and the one that everyone goes to for EVERYTHING. My grandmother always said that my mom was one of the best daughters, I saw it too, my mom doted on my grandmother so much. I'm so glad my mom had the chance to talk to her the night before she passed. I heard them on the phone laughing and carrying on and my mom told us she said hi. I just never expected that a few hours later she would say Malena died. I'm still in disbelief. I don't think it'll hit me until I go over there and see that she's not there. But I have wonderful memories that I will continue to reminisce about. Can't wait to see her again.
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