"The misuse of language induces evil in the soul." - Socrates

My grandmother is in the hospital in rather severe condition. She had emergency surgery on Shabbat, and despite the operation being a success, it's not looking good. As this has been an ongoing situation for some weeks now, my mother is there with her, with my uncle, my brother and his wife. She just had a leg removed (without anesthetic!) and remains unresponsive. My grandmother is 87 (and my only living grandparent for twenty years now). As a Holocaust survivor she's looked death in the face often enough, including Doc. Death, Josef Mengele himself. Iron Woman that she is, she just might be able to stare DEATH itself in the face, and simply refuse let go. She's just so determined to Survive!

The following is a quote from an email my mother sent me:

[Uncle] and I really did think this was the end... and I said to mom "are you ready to go to the next world"? she opened her eyes and said "I am not going anywhere".

When I read that, I was literally laughing out loud, because I can't think of any two sentences, that would be more typical of my mother, her mother, and that would better encapsulate their entire relationship. My grandmother is five feet made of steel, and my mother only an inch or two taller. I can hear my mother's matter-of-fact (hiding hysteria) "ready to go, mom?" and my grandmother's gruff response. The two of them are both extremely alike and opposites. My mother is ever the jumping at shadows pessimist and my grandmother is a born optimist (after all, she's seen it the worst it can get).

Having survived hell, she's since had a long full life, but it breaks my heart to loose her. If I had a spare 1000 dollars, I'd be on the next plane out, if only to say good bye. But I don't, nor can I even think of taking a week's leave. It's funny, I've always made sure my passports were in order for this very situation. Well here it is, and here I stay.