My Grandfather
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
Hi friends,
I know it’s been a while since I blogged, but I just couldn’t. This has been one of the most difficult times of my life. I know it’s time to move forward so that’s what I’ll do. Since it’s been a couple of months, I’ll try to bring you all up to speed.
I was so excited for December. Most of you know it’s my favorite month. And this year was going to be extra special. My Christmas CD Home For The Holidays was set to release and I’ve been very excited about the songs on this project. Recording started early in the summer and everyone was finally going to get to hear what I’d been working so hard on for all these months.
Somehow even with the long hours in the studio, I had finished my Christmas shopping early and my focus was going to be on spending quality time with my family. For the first time in a long time I was going to make it home for my birthday December 9th and spend the rest of the month Home For The Holidays 
.
I was counting down the days knowing that my Grandparents were already in Hawaii which would make the holidays all the more special. My “Da” (Grandfather) had no idea that I’d written a song about him called Just Like You about him and all my family was a buzz with anticipation. My Grandfather has always been my hero and now I was going to get to show him from my heart how much he means to me. Yes I had told him a thousand times, but never like this, never in a song.
I remember December 1st feeling an unusual sense of urgency, wanting to be there with my family, especially my Grandparents. It almost consumed my thoughts. I just kept telling myself “just a few more days”.
I remember my flight home to Hawaii, I just kept thinking how it would be one of the best Christmases ever. I couldn’t wait to see the look on Da’s face when he heard Just Like You. The day that I got home, Da was complaining about stomach pains. Within a few hours, he said we should probably go to the hospital. He doesn’t like hospitals so I was surprised to hear him say that. He was in too much pain to walk up the stairs so I carried him up the stairs. Never at a loss to make me laugh, carrying him up the stairs he said, “you sure are strong Jd”. I told him that when he got out of the hospital he could return the favor. We all laughed.
Once we got to the hospital, the Doctors said that his stomach had somehow flipped and that was causing the problem. They said it could just turn on it’s own so they would wait a few days and if not, he’d need to have an operation. Da was in great spirits as always and the family camped out in his hospital room never leaving his side. We prayed and believed for the best. Hopefully he wouldn’t even need surgery.
A couple of days later, I was sitting on the bed talking to Da and he said he stomach started really hurting. The pain left after about 10 minutes and he returned to his jovial self. Later that night, the doctors said that his pain he spoke of in the afternoon had been a heart attack. They said that he couldn’t have surgery because the heart attack had made it too risky. We had to hope his stomach would flip back. We rallied around and continued to pray.
Over the next few days Da’s health began to decline within days he wasn’t able to respond to us. For the next couple of days he was unresponsive. I told Da that I was going home for a few hours. I gave him a hug and said “I need you Da, I love you so much”. Da said “love you J”. I looked up at my family and said “Da whispered I love you”! I was so excited. He must be on the mend. It was about midnight when I got home, I said a prayer for Da and crashed. At about 4 that morning the phone rang. It was my mom calling from the hospital. “Da’s gone” she said. My Dad, my sister and I rushed to the hospital, the nurses were in the room. They told us we needed to go to the waiting room. My mom and Meme were in there, we hugged and cried.
Da went to heaven December 22nd. My Grandfather taught me so much about life and love. He lead by example and words cannot describe what an amazing man he was. His love for my Grandmother was that of a fairytale. He made everyone of his children and grandchildren feel like they were the most special thing on Earth.
I never got to play him the song I wrote for him, but I know he was proud of me, he told me that every time I talked to him. I hope to one day be the husband and father that my Grandfather was. He was on in a million. I miss him and I promise to continue to make him proud.
