My Tatie was hospitalized for 10 agonizing days. She had a breathing tube in her mouth when I went to see her several times that week... The ninth day of her stay she was able to breathe on her own without the horrible tube. That day was like a celebration for all of us hoping & praying for a miraculous recovery. She was chit-chatting with her kids and asking where I was. Oh, how I wish I was by her side that day seeing her beautiful big brown eyes staring into mine and to tell her how much I loved her.
She hadn’t eaten for nine days, Uncle Elia gave the rest of his coffee to his mom, and he knew it was restricted but gave it to her anyways. It just wouldn’t go down his throat seeing his mom begging for a sip. Glad he did, because that was going to be her last coffee. The next evening I received the worst call...my grandma wasn’t going to make it; I rushed to the hospital. As we all stood around her and held her hands, we saw that she still had life in her and her eyes wide open, but she wasn’t looking at any of us as if she was staring towards the clock. I held her beautiful hands and asked her to squeeze my hand if she could hear me, and she did squeeze back, she knew I was by her side. I started running my fingers through her beautiful thick hair and was telling her everything was going to be ok (but in my heart I knew it wasn’t) and that she couldn’t leave us.
"I still had to make some tolma for you Tatie jan," I said and just started sobbing. At this time her blood pressure was dropping and her breathing was getting slower. We were told to move out of the way they had to perform CPR chest compressions. I had told the Dr. to do everything they can and that was to perform CPR. At this time, we’re all holding hands and praying for her to come back, within seconds they announced we lost her. My world around me came crashing down; my whole body started getting numb… I was in denial and I couldn’t accept the fact that she was gone. I started running my fingers through her hair once again and gave her a million kisses all over her face and I was talking to her as if she was still here. The day after my grandma died I found out I was one month pregnant with my second child… If only I would have known this one day before she passed away, oh how happy she would have been.
Tat jan, you were my best friend and I wish you didn't have to go. You raised me as a baby and I owe it all to you. You were the woman with the heart of gold! You were my mom first and later my grandma, my friend, my spiritual guidance, my mentor. You & Papi were my rock when I was young. I love you with all my heart and miss you so very much. Almost all the time I dream about you & Papi and it’s so real then I wake up and wonder if it is your way of telling me that you are watching over me or giving me some kind of message. I wish I had of known about my pregnancy the night you passed away. You are always in my heart & in my mind. I love you so so much
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| Me at age 9 years old with my Tatie & Papi! |
Half his ear was removed due to the skin cancer and later he went for radiation to make sure it won’t come back again. Few years had gone by now the bacteria have gone into his head. He was admitted into the hospital for surgery of his whole ear being surgically removed. Oh what a horrible day that was, my poor Papi went through a lot. Then with grandma going to the hospital for long period of time… he knew in his heart his wife was not coming home this time. He had told me this while we were in the car going to see grandma. While at the hospital It broke my heart to see him putting his hand into grandma’s hand and had bent over to give her one last kiss with those beautiful blue teary eyes and telling her she was going to be ok. Couple of days later now grandpa was admitted to the hospital due to stomach pain and short of breath. Dear God our plates were full, I don’t know how much more we could handle from this suffering. I saw him the first day and he was weak but alert and could talk to us. After that everything had changed for the worst.
The next day we were told Papi needed surgery in his stomach. We were devastated by the news but still hopeful that he would be ok. His stomach had lost a lot of blood flow and they were not sure if it was going to start working. Later that day more tests were done to find out if he had cancer and we got the news that Papi did have cancer and had only 6 months to live. They had put a tube down his throat so he could breathe. He was still in a lot of pain, always heavily sedated so I never got a chance to talk to him and to tell him how much his granddaughter loved him. I had sat next to his bed and cried so hard because I thought I was going to lose my grandpa too. We started making arrangements for grandma’s funeral while grandpa was still in the hospital only to find out a day and a half later we lost my grandpa too… Three days after his surgery Papi mysteriously passed away…. We never told grandma about grandpa being in the hospital and grandpa never knew about grandma’s death.
My Papi was a humble, modest, down-to-earth kind of man who touched each of our lives in different ways, ways that will never be forgotten. He was a father, a grandfather, a great grandfather, an uncle, and a friend. His legacy is in his family and his friends. His legacy is the people that he has helped, and in the lives that he has touched. He has left us a history. A history of pride in family. Now this history is in our hands to carry on where he left off. My tough little Surte General! As he would always say with pride. (served as a French General in the army) Grandpa I love you with all my heart and I miss you so deeply!
grandparents,
like the kinds that trick you into thinking they will be there when you wake up. Then I realize they’re gone forever and start crying silently without anyone hearing me. My Papi was a father figure to me. I know my Tatie & Papi are well taken care of in Heaven & they are both angels looking down on me. I truly love you and miss you and hope to see your faces again when my time comes to be with you. We thank you for all you gave us. You both meant so much to all of us. You taught us so many things. We know you're watching over us & your both together again. Someday we'll meet again in Heaven. We miss & love you both deeply!
Grandma &Grandpa did see some of their great-grandchildren. More great-grandchildren came along after their passing
God’s Garden
God looked around His garden
And found an empty place
He then looked down upon the earth
And saw your tired face
And found an empty place
He then looked down upon the earth
And saw your tired face
He put His arms around you
And lifted you to rest
God’s garden must be beautiful,
He always takes the best
And lifted you to rest
God’s garden must be beautiful,
He always takes the best
He knew that you were suffering
He knew you were in pain,
He knew that you would never
Get well on earth again.
He knew you were in pain,
He knew that you would never
Get well on earth again.
He saw the road was getting rough
And the hills were hard to climb
So He closed your weary eyelids,
And whispered "Peace Be Thine."
And the hills were hard to climb
So He closed your weary eyelids,
And whispered "Peace Be Thine."
It breaks our hearts to lose you
But you didn’t go alone.
For part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.
But you didn’t go alone.
For part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.
~ Libertie Treenery Semanko
Two sons Elia and George,
Three daughters Madlen, Hayastan, and Shake.
Grandchildren 13
Great-grandchildren (12),
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