First off, let me set the record straight – I was offered a bedroom and everything that means, including, but not limited to, decorating it as I see fit since I have to live in it. I was not about to spend the majority of my time surrounded by a little town on the walls and having shelving sit, literally, on top of my head.
And it’s not like this move was sprung on her at the last minute, this has been in the works for years now –since I first started college 6 years ago. As well, there were numerous conversations about this, not only over the years, but especially in the last year; conversations about the move, how to redecorate the room, if not the entire apartment, what was going to be thrown away, what was going to be brought in from my apartment at school. Everything was spoken about until the entire family was blue in the face.
One thing we all have to keep reminding ourselves – my grandmother is NOT the victim, whether it is in this situation or EVERY situation. This is a woman who has the intelligence and brain power to manipulate any situation she is placed in. She is the queen of the backhanded compliment – something to get into at a later date. She plays dumb, acts like a child, does whatever she must to have the upper hand regardless if it compliments or harms her “image.”
Let’s not forget about what I have to deal with in this situation. I am living with an 88 year old woman who can’t hear herself when she moans, groans, coughs, sneezes, squawks, hacks up mucus or uses the bathroom. I, however, a spritely almost 25 year old, can hear all of these things – whether I am awake, sleeping, door open, door shut or even in the shower. At first, I was worried that these were sounds of her dying – then quickly realized, it’s just her. How does one explain, sans embarrassment, to a friend hanging out, “oh hey, don’t worry about her, it only SOUNDS like she’s dying.”?
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