Granny, Granny, Granny

This is the chant that I was privileged to hear during our recent visit to MD. So heart-warming. All while she worked her magic on Gramps.

Folks have asked me why I chose Granny as a moniker. Granny was my great grandmother whom I never met. But I always appreciated the few stories that were shared about her. My favorite was one my mom told of walking from school to the Baltimore shop where Granny hand knotted rugs all day. Mom said Granny would stop her work, clean up her station, and then always put on a nice hat and gloves. Then they walked home, sometimes stopping for an ice cream. I always thought of Granny as a hard working but refined lady.

While in a rug shop in Greece, I shared this story of Granny. Ironically the shop owner quickly identified what city I was referring to– Baltimore because there were many Irish rug workers in the 30’s in Baltimore. When I told him about the hat and gloves, he clarified the vision for me. “Your grandmother put gloves on to cover the scars she would have had on her hands from knotting the rugs.”

I have always identified with hard work, and aspired to refinement. Granny, Granny, Granny . . . I hope to leave a memorable legacy for Quinn like she did for me.

Author: Cate
Passionate about dementia care and quality of life throughout the last days of life----sums up Cate McCarty, Dr. Cate, Dementia Coach. With close to forty years of long-term care experience in nursing and recreation, a Master's in Thanatology and a PhD in Aging Studies, Dr. Cate seizes every opportunity to translate research into quality of life for individuals with dementia and all of us who have the honor to "rub elbows" with them.

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