Aspie teen and his Pa

When Aspie teen was little my Mum died.
This totally shattered his world as she was the one and only person he'd tolerate cuddling him, singing to him, feeding him, etc.
When she died he turned to the other favourite person in his life, my Dad.
Dad helped take him to creche and kindy, he walked him to and from school at times, Aspie teen proudly showed off his Pa at assembly for Anzac and Remembrance Day.
Aspie teen was bursting with pride and excitement to be included each year in the tradition of marching with his Pa in the big Anzac March in the city, from when he was still little in a stroller.
Pa has always bought him those little extra treats like the odd chocolate, books, colouring books, clothes, novelties, nick-nacks, etc.
They had their bond, that something special between grandparent and grandchild.
And now Pa is dying.
Aspie teen is seeing his grandfather's whole persona changing, from the easy-going, laid back joker to a crabbed, pain-filled wizened little being with permanently blue hands and feet.
He's seen Dad change from an upright, healthy, relatively independent man who would eat anything to a shrunken shadow of himself being spoon-fed pureed food and wearing adult nappies.
While we've been warning Aspie teen for ages that Pa is old and unwell it's not until this moment that it's struck home just how sick he really is.
Every day, each hour, is a bonus.
Embrace your loved ones while you can xxxx