Death and Dying

A detailed Summary of Death and Dying

Death and Dying, Losing a Grandparent

The death of a grandparent is a devastating time in a person's life. However, when the grandparent contracts a fatal disease and suffers for the duration of the final stage of life, this can make the situation more overwhelming. Dying is a component of the life cycle (Santrock 1999), and this phase can be the most complex to endure. At the concluding stage of my grandfather's life, he became dependent. We could only watch helplessly as he dwindled away. One thing that comes natural is to reflect upon the memories, comprehend what is taking place in the life cycle, and to treasure the memories that will be with me forever.

One of the earliest memories that I have is as a very young boy. I was about three or four years of age. My Grandfather had a large family and always drove a station wagon. Station wagons in those days are the equivalent to the Sports Utility Vehicles of today. I do not know why I can remember this story so well, but it stands out in my mind. My mother gave birth to the first grandchild, who was I. In the sixties, most large families planted gardens, and raised their own livestock, in order to feed their families. There was a

The fourth stage is the depression stage. My grandfather experienced this stage. This is the stage when the person accepts the certainty of death. It is my belief that the pain associated with this disease can contribute to the depression stage. My grandfather reached the point where he did not have the strength to perform the activities that he once enjoyed doing such as fishing and socializing with his friends. His main social support, his wife, passed away in 1976 of heart disease. I stopped by to visit him one evening and observed him leaning on the tailgate of his old truck. It was apparent that he was in relentless pain. There were times when he felt well enough to go with me for a ride or to grab a bite to eat at one of the local restaurants. During this period, he would be difficult to get along with at times. Family members would complain about how mean and inconsiderate he had become. At the time, I did not realize the reason for his behavior. During the spring semester of 2001, I took a developmental psychology course at Western Kentucky University. This class has given me a much better understanding of what my grandfather was experiencing.

The death of my grandfather is something that many people throughout the world experience each day. So far, I have attempted to describe how my family dealt with this experience. The stages that I mentioned may or may not be experienced in the exact order by everyone. However, most people do experience one or more of these stages during the final life cycle.

When a person is in his or her last days of existence, it has always been difficult for me to find the correct words to say to that person. It is also difficult to address the bereaved as they grieve over the loss of his or her loved one or friend. The knowledge that I have gained will be beneficial to others and me in the future. I am better equipped to give advice to a person that may have a terminal illness and given a short time to live. It will also be beneficial to be able to say the correct words, and know what people are experiencing during the death and dying stage. When people are describing to me the events that are happening in the lives of those who are dying, I will be able to tell them that it is normal, or to be expected.

Although there are memories that I could reflect upon that are too numerous to mention, the last cycle of life is one that we will share with a friend, loved one, or experience personally at some point in our life. Death is the number one life-changing event (T.S. Holmes and T.H. Holmes 1970), which we will experience. The final year of the last stage of the life cycle for my grandfather began in the spring of 1999. My grandfather complained quite a bit about the many body ailments that he claimed to have experienced. There were times when I thought he was a hypochondriac. My grandfather and I became very close during his final year of

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Approximate Word count = 1988
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Science