I never knew my grandfather on my dad’s side. He died mysteriously outside of Indio, CA and was found around the railroad tracks. My mom’s father was killed in his store by a punk; the young kids at his request that were in the store at the time were locked in the basement while he was beat unmercifully. My dad’s mom died of GERD complications and by the time they found the cancer it was too far advanced, and would not have been able to operate even if they found it sooner. She passed away within 2 months of their discovery. This past week I found out that my mom’s mother has inoperable pancreatic cancer. She has to take fluid pills and go in once a week to drain her abdominal cavity. She is 85 now and has a long sometimes hard sometimes easy time. My aunt and my mothers father’s sister are the only ones of that generation left when my grandmother passes. My concern is that my mom had a stroke a few years ago, is still bed ridden; and I’m concerned if she can handle the stress of her mother passing, not being able to get back east to pay last respects. The same goes for my dad even though he hasn’t said anything the stroke shock him up quite deeply. He has been my mothers caretaker primarily with us helping in and out as we have been in town. They are so intertwined I wonder about him also…When you are a kid you think your parents and grandparents are inpregnable to anything. As time goes on their fragility shows and with life experience you come to understand we all are fragile.