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Gramps

This past week has been very hectic...I am currently in Hong Kong while I am typing this...Hmm...Let me start from last Saturday...

Saturday 11th May in the early morning of the day the house phone rang at 6am...7am and again at about 8.46am...at first I thought perhaps is a sales call from some really desperate company that is about to go down the financial crap hole...but then again...it was Saturday...NOBODY works that hard in the UK. So i proceeded to let the phone ring...

10am...came, I didn't managed to sleep so I got up to get ready to work. Everything went just like any other Saturday...I took my Martial Arts gear...my work stuff and off I went...after about 2 hours at work, my phone rang...it was from my dad..."You're grandfather is really ill, you going back to Hong Kong with us?"

You may have guessed my reaction..."Say what?"

My dad repeated what he said...

I asked him...When you leaving? I'll see if the boss can let me go.

Dad: "We're leaving tomorrow morning"

After a minor discussion with my employer, some few phone calls and some prancing around on the internet...I was booked to go back to Hong Kong to see my grandfather...


It was Monday afternoon when we got back to Hong Kong, we dropped off our luggages then went to Tai Po Hospital to see how my grandfather was doing...he saw my aunties and uncles first and was very happy (Note...at this time, gramps couldn't talk, couldn't eat but can give replies via nodding or weakly blurting out a sound) you could tell from his eyes. When I walked up to the bed, he couldn't recognise me (nor could I recognise him...he was so thin...frail...weak...and had breathing equipment jacked to his nose)...I spoke and it was then he realised who I was...man, you guys should of seen him, he mustered all the strength he had to sit up and tried to get changed.
You see, my gramps loves seeing his grandchildren back from overseas and ALWAYS insists on going out for dinner...So when he tried to get changed I knew exactly what he was thinking but I told him "gramps, you can't leave yet! Lets wait until you are a little better before going for dinner?"
Being the stubborn man he is...he proceeded to try and change himself before feeling exhausted...we stayed with him for a good 2 hours before the nurse asked us kindly to leave because visiting hours was over and other patients needs rest...fair point...

For the next 4 days I went to visit him alternating between afternoons and nights...Thursday 16th May, afternoon visit, by this time gramps could barely move and eye hardly opened...it was as if a moment of telepathy occurred at that moment...my dad, two uncles and myself knew what gramps wanted...to go home...gramps knew his time was coming and wanted to pass at home like his father before him...but we couldn't do that...

Friday 17th May...at about 2:10am, mum's phone rang...it was my uncle...Gramps was passing, we hurried to the hospital. We were about 10 mins away from the hospital when my aunt phoned my mum to say "dad has already passed".

We got to the hospital at 2:47am...I think what happened was this...my grandfather was going through the final passing when the nurse phoned my uncle...and when the call ended...gramps had just left us. I asked the nurse if he had suffered whist leaving us...she said no, he left at 2:14am, peacefully, quietly, painlessly and quickly...everything slowed down very quickly so he was in no pain.
I was relieved because he had lung infection and liver failure...I can't even imagine the pain he must of been in while alive...so to leave this world painlessly...


Gramps, you've always been a stubborn man...this time I am thankful for this trait of yours.

 You gave me the chance to see you one last time and pass to you the messages from your other grandchildren personally. I am very happy that you passed peacefully...you can now play all the Chinese Chess you want and eat anything you want! No counting the calories, no worrying for high cholesterol levels or how much is too much!

 You will live on in me because I too am just as stubborn, if not, even more so...walk on through the last path of life and may your guardian guild you...Visit us through dream when you get bored of having fun! Until my time comes. Enjoy yourself! Don't worry about grandma, we got her covered!

Missing you lots you stubborn old mule!!!

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