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My Grandmother's Hauntings

 

I was very close to my maternal grandmother and I loved her very much. I was the only grandchild out of 3 who would regularly go to see her or do anything for her. Lots of times when I would go to see her, I'd take us a meal and I'd spend a few hours with her. In the summer, we'd get a drink from the fridge and sit on the porch in the glider and talk. Many times I had asked her to tell me again about the haunted houses she lived in as a child. I loved hearing ALL of her stories, but I loved the haunted ones the best!

My grandmother had strict parents and only one sibling, a sister who was a few years older than her. They lived in other areas before they moved to North Carolina and it was in some of these homes where they had experiences. I remember her saying they lived in Virginia at one time, but I can't remember where else she spoke of.

One home they moved into had wood floors. The entry way was a curved arch and when they moved in, there was a rug in the hallway at the entry. I don't recall the reason the rug was taken up but it was... And they discovered what appeared to be a blood stain on the floor. The floor was scrubbed and scrubbed and finally it seemed to be gone. They'd go to bed that night and the next day, the stain would be back. This went on perpetually, they would clean it and then it would come back. My grandmother said they were finally told that someone had been killed in that house and where the blood stain was, that's where they died.

Another home they moved into was a house that had an upstairs apartment and a downstairs apartment. My grandmother and her family had moved into the upstairs apartment. She told me there were many times when strange noises were heard such as knocks, and particularly this ghost enjoyed locking and unlocking the doors. If they left the apartment and left it unlocked, they would be locked out... If they left and locked it, they'd come home to find it unlocked. Intruders were never found but there were always knocking noises and the locks would be messed with.

In this particular story (it always gives me goosebumps to recall it), they lived in yet another haunted home. My grandmother and her sister shared a room and slept with the bedroom door open. Both of them could see the hallway and directly across from their room was a painting hanging on the wall. This painting was a picture of a rural area... There was a road that wound back and forth through a wooded area and had flowers and many trees. It was a pleasant painting of a country road.

One night after going to bed, my grandmother had trouble going to sleep. As she laid in bed, she looked out into the hallway. Suddenly, the painting started to glow like there was a light behind it. The painting started to "meld" and became more lifelike... There seemed to be a small breeze blowing because she could see the trees and flowers gently swaying. As she watched, she saw a motorcycle come upon the scene and it followed the curve of the road. As the motorcycle drove the road it came to a fork in the road. As it approached the fork, a semi truck also approached the fork (coming from opposite direction) and the two vehicles crashed. At this point, the glow behind the painting disappeared and it went back to normal.

Scared and shaking, she turned away from the door and tried to go to sleep. The next day they received a telegram. Her cousin, Willie, had died in an accident the night before. He was driving his motorcycle along the road and where the road came to a fork he hit a semi tractor trailer truck head-on and passed away. The accident occurred in a rural area on a country road.

When my grandmother found out what happened, she was shaken but she didn't tell her parents what she had seen because they were so strict. She was the youngest of the 2 children and her older sister was the favored one, so... She felt she would be ridiculed, punished and/or called a liar if she told.

The following is an incident that happened much later in her life and it was in my home that it happened.

My ex-husband, Joe, and I, were living in a small apartment with our two dogs, Prissy and T-Bone. The apartment was built onto the back of an old store building. There was a plate glass picture window on both sides of the front door in the front of the building. The front was used as a storage building for a guy who did light construction, and we rented the back half of the building. There was a connecting door in our bedroom that went from our part of the place to the front part but it was blocked off from that guys side. To get into the apartment, we drove into the driveway beside the building and used the steps at the rear of the building.

There had been some bad weather going on and we were expecting snow and possibly some ice. A lot of people lost power but we were fortunate that we did not. My grandmother lived alone in her own apartment but went and stayed with Momma and Daddy for the duration of the storm. I called Momma the morning after the storm hit and asked if they were okay and if they had power. They were fine but had lost power and was worried about my grandmother staying warm. I told her that we had power so if Daddy felt okay about bringing her over she could stay with us... We had plenty to eat and everybody was warm. So, Daddy brought her over and helped her inside and we got her settled. We only had one bedroom, so me and my grandmother slept in the king-sized bed that night and Joe slept on the couch.

The next morning, I woke up with my grandmother standing over me, bent over and looking down in my face... She scared the crap out of me! I sat up and said, "Granny, what's wrong?" She grabbed me by the hand and said "Come on, we've got to go!" She sounded really distraught... And I said, "Okay, where are we going?" She said, "I don't know but we've got to get out of here!" She kept tugging on me... So I got out of bed and I stood right in front of her. I said, "Granny, tell me what's wrong... Why do we have to leave?" She said, "They're everywhere!" I looked around the room and there was nothing astray... So I said, "What are you talking about?"

She looked at me like I was crazy and said, "Can't you seem them all around the room?" I said "No, I don't see anything." She went on to describe a gruesome scene... Babies impaled on long, wooden spikes. The spikes went from the base of their buttocks and ran through their backs up through their heads. They were on spikes and leaned up against the wall all around the room. After she described in detail what she was seeing, I said "Okay... Let's go in the living room and sit down and I'll call Daddy to come get you so you can get out of here."

I got her settled on the couch and tried to distract her with the dogs... They were so protective of her and it warmed my heart... They followed her everywhere she went in that house and acted like a protective guard surrounding her... So I tried to distract her with them. I called Momma and told her what happened and then asked if they had power yet... They did, so I asked her if Daddy would come get her. She spooked me real bad with that... So Daddy came and got her and she stayed with them another night before going home.

I always thought it was odd that someone had lived in haunted house after haunted house... What are the odds of that happening unless you had a gift of seeing the paranormal? Because of this, for a long time I wondered if my grandmother had "the gift". I never asked her and even if she did I don't believe she ever would've told me... She was a Seventh-Day Adventist and was a firm believer. She never cursed and she never lied and I don't think she ever would've owned up to being able to see or communicate with ghosts/spirits.

At the time she stayed with us, she was also starting to have episodes that ended up being Alzheimer's so I also wonder if this was just one of those episodes.

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The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, hawkseye12002, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

KikiGirl (8 stories) (207 posts)
 
7 years ago (2017-02-20)
hawkseye12002, thank-you for responding to my comment. It is absolutely fine to cry as much as you need to and take plenty of time/as much time as you can to yourself to work through this. You seem like such a honest and emotional person, in a way, it makes a person passing that much more difficult as it is already an emotional experience and we cannot understand why the person had to pass-away, death is truly nonsensical in so many ways.

When my Brother passed away, I did the same. I cried every time I mentioned his name for 3 years straight. It is just, so unexpected, unfair and bewildering that we can't understand, conclude or verify the way it works, only, that it leaves us demolished and saddened.

The grief cycle made an incredible difference to the way I felt. At least now, when I felt depressed, I suddenly realized "I am very, very sad and, it's because my Brother passed away and I am in mourning".

My Brother was fit and energetic, he did body-building and played rugby (American Football is the equivalent in the USA). He had a big, red punching bag situated next to my bedroom window so when he would work-out, I would hear him on the punching bag. One day, shortly after he had passed, I was lying in bed depressed, crying in my pillow, and I started thinking... How unusually quiet is it? I don't hear the punching bag that used to drive me nuts! I would wake to this "doof" "doof" "doof", but now, it is just... Silence. I remember wishing so hard to hear it, so, I would know that he is at home, working out, and that he is alive and he is okay. I closed my eyes and wished and wished because I felt/thought that if I heard the punching bag, everything would disappear, it would mean that; he had never passed away, we had never had a funeral, I had never lost him and he was still alive and okay. The whole ordeal would reverse or... Cease to exist. So, I understand when you talk about denial or bargaining. Just - please, please if I hear him then this would never have happened. Just - please, if I hear him then it means that he's okay and he's come back and I can talk to him and spend time with him.

One of the good things that I can tell you about somebody passing is that it is in your hands how to go about deciding how to deal with it. Not initially afterwards, no then you are in a lot of pain and shock. But, when you finally start mentally processing that he/she is gone and you realize that your feelings are normal, many people have gone through this and there is help available to you in the form of friends, family and support groups. Many psychiatrists and psychologists have worked on methods to help people like us. Also, what I realised is that nobody can "make" me feel - something. My Brother loved me very much and our "bond", our "relationship" is what matters and absolute, at the end of the day. After my Brother passed away, some of my family said that I didn't show enough emotion. Meanwhile I was showing a lot of despondency. But, I never let what they said upset me because, I know exactly how I felt/feel; what he meant to me and what I feel/felt while going through it.

My Mother does the same bargaining that you do. They had an argument before he left that day and later, passed away. I was with him for the time before he left. And... I can tell you with certainty that; DEFINITELY; what ever problems, anger and disputes or grudges my Brother and Mother had, he absolutely loved her and cherished their relationship until his dying day and after that, forevermore. It is "us", the ones who are left behind that struggle and worry about the old 'fight' or disagreement/s and ask the same questions again and again. They, 'the people' who are gone, only see the truths in life with clear vision & 20/20 hindsight, And he sees how much you worry about him and cry, and wish for an opportunity to resolve things. He knows this, and he is in a better place and at peace.

But, he does not have a way to give you peace or talk to you, so, you give him peace by being at peace because then he knows you are okay. He would not want you worrying yourself or doing this to yourself, he would want you to be happy and know that he is safe, happy & peaceful. If he could talk to you, this is mostly likely what he would say.
hawkseye12002 (3 stories) (36 posts)
+2
7 years ago (2017-02-15)
KiKi:

Thank you for your condolences.

You are right, death comes when least expected and yes, they are free from earthly woes...

I suppose I am in the "bargaining" stage, never considered that angle before. I do wish I had the opportunity to make things right with my brother, but... Even if he had not accepted anything I had to say I would still be at peace over it because... At least I got the *chance* to try and make things right. That would ease so much of the guilt I feel today.

I initially sought grief counseling because every time I talk about Momma or Junior I start to cry and cannot stop. I went into a depressive state and was there for a long time so I sought help. After starting to work with a therapist, I realized there is more I needed to deal with... Even my therapist said, "Wow, you've been through a lot!". My main goal is just to be able to mention them without the waterworks flowing, that would be a huge accomplishment.

Thank you for your suggestion about the candles but that is not something I would do. My nieces and nephew and my former sister-in-law's family go to Junior's grave and add all kinds of junk to his stone to "memorialize" him. It adds up to making it so junky and I don't need to add more "junk" to the world... I hope you don't take offense, it's just not my thing.

Thank you for reading and for your kind words.
KikiGirl (8 stories) (207 posts)
-1
7 years ago (2017-02-14)
hawkseye12002, I am so sorry for your loss. Death comes like a thief in the night, so unexpected and raw and saddening. A lot of people will tell you that it gets better over time. At least, you know that what ever burdens and troubles that they had in life, they are now free from them. Where they are now they are at peace, they no longer suffer with depression, money worries or loneliness, they are at peace. The people left behind are the ones who suffer.

Also, I am sure that the group will mention to you: The grief cycle or 5 stages of grieving: depression isolation, denial, bargaining, anger and acceptance. Bargaining is the stage where you say what you are saying to us now, "if I could just manage to speak with my brother or reconcile our differences..." You could not, possibly, have known that he would pass away, and you cannot blame yourself. Life happened and you cannot change it, you also cannot carry his death and put that on yourself. You couldn't possibly know if you had spoken to him, if he would have accepted your apology or if he would have wanted to make amends. Even if, you had managed to speak with him, there is no guarantee that would have changed things. You are, also just human and you also make mistakes and have feelings. If you had managed to see your Granny or seen her more often, there is no guarantee it would have been good for you emotionally / mentally, and the same or her.

The thing about the grief cycle is that it is not point 1 2 3 4 5 - and at the end, step 5 is acceptance. The thing is that you will, probably, go through each one of the emotions several times, and in a varied pattern. Eventually, you will have complete acceptance and this is when you will feel better and be able to let go. So, don't worry if some days you feel depressed and other days a bit emotional, it is all natural what you are going through, and the important thing is to recognize the emotion - understand what you are going through is from the loss of losing a loved one. It is a process, but, this is why I always remind myself that they are in a better place and free from the worries and distresses of this world.

Wishing you the best in your journey!

P.S. I have another method that memorializes your loved one and your bond. If there is a river or pond somewhere nearby, get a few candles and place them on some paperboats, light them in the evening and let the candles go down the river. You can say a short prayer if you like, too and say, "this is for you".
hawkseye12002 (3 stories) (36 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-02-14)
Biblio:

Not a strange suggestion at all, I'm pretty open-minded about most things. I am of Christian faith, and I do pray quite often and HAVE... Asking for peace in mind and heart and asking for help in resolution of my emotional turmoil.

I'm not a Brit (Southern gal, here) but I do drink hot tea, lol... Coffee does strange things to me that you don't want to know about. 😆

I have actually already done what you've suggested. At the time of my brothers death, I was leaving home daily to go to Mom & Dads home to receive guests and just be with the family. My parents were a mess, especially Daddy. Daddy and Junior were best friends and I think it was harder on him than it was for Momma. I tried my best to hold it together and be strong for them and when I got home every night, I would just fall apart. Every day for a week I sat on my sofa and talked to Junior about how sorry I was for everything that had transpired between us, etc.

That ended one day when this happened...

At the end of my sofa and against the wall is a wooden bookcase, it's about 4-4.5 feet tall. It's heavy and a real solid piece of furniture and has mostly books on it. It does not wobble at all and the floor is not warped (cement floor under the carpet). On the top shelf of the bookcase sits the electronic unit for my cable TV. It's about the size of a VCR and also sits solidly, no wobble to it. On top of that unit, I have a framed photo of my brother with our cousin. I have checked several times and the frame sits solidly and also not wobbly.

One day when I was talking to Junior, the framed picture of Junior and our cousin fell to the floor. I stopped talking and just sat there, stunned. I was in an emotional state but was trying to figure out what just happened. I picked it up and put it back in it's place and waited to see if anything else would happen. It didn't.

Here's the thing... The frame sits in the *center* of the electronic cable unit, on top of it. In order for the frame to have "fallen" from the unit, it would've had to have been on the edge of it which it wasn't. I am absolutely certain of this. In order for the picture to have fallen off, it would've had to have been pushed. This is when I checked the solidity of the bookcase. It simply does not sway or move.

That was the last time that I sat and talked to Junior. I can't say for certain it was a paranormal event, I just simply do not have an explanation for it.

Thank you for your kind words and suggestion.
Bibliothecarius (9 stories) (1091 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-02-13)
Hawkseye:

Thanks for your heartfelt and honest response. I agree with Myst; well done on recognizing that you have a problem & then getting help to deal with it.

I suggested an activity once, to my mother, so she could resolve her feelings about *her* mother. Sit at a small table with a cup of tea, but turn the chair to be sideways-on to the table as though you and the person in the other chair are both looking out the same window. Sip your tea and talk about everything that comes to mind; imagine that your loved one is in the other chair drinking tea and just listening to you explain yourself.

You'll note I'm not advocating anything remotely supernatural, here; if you are someone who prays, *THAT* is a far more supernatural act than having a cozy beverage and unburdening yourself (we're Brits, so tea was our 'cozy' drink). All I'm suggesting is that you have the heart-to-heart conversation you think you should have had in the past, so you can let go of the guilt you don't need. If this sounds too strange to you, then don't do it; if you are going to try this exercise, I'd suggest having tissues nearby. It won't solve all of your problems, and it absolutely will NOT be a substitute for Grief Counseling, but it is an opportunity to separate the pain of your self-inflicted guilt from the natural pain of your loss in a small, controlled environment.

Take care of yourself,
Biblio.
Myst (63 posts)
+2
7 years ago (2017-02-13)
Many people have difficulty visiting any medical facility. They find these places intimidating and unnerving. I believe this is due to being unfamiliar with how things work in facilities, along with the old "doctor is God" myth. Those who work in facilities look at them as just that, the place they work. Any time you feel badly about not "entering the lion's den", so to speak, just know you are not alone in your feelings. Also, no one has the right to try to make you feel badly over a very common fear/discomfort. Grief takes as long as it takes, and I applaud you for accepting counselling.
hawkseye12002 (3 stories) (36 posts)
+2
7 years ago (2017-02-13)
Biblio and Myst...

I am sitting figuring out how much I want to reveal in regards to your comments.

Biblio, you hit the nail on the head--it's pain. I don't want to and never have wanted to admit that. But your words hold so much value to me right now, and here is why.

I'm in grief therapy right now... Not for Granny, who passed away in 2006 but for Momma (passed away June 28, 2015) and for Junior, my brother (passed away August 8, 2013).

I hold a lot of guilt over their deaths due to a couple of things: my brother and I were estranged at the time of his death over something that was a misunderstanding on my part. I never got to reconcile with him and he died in a single vehicle car accident.

I also hold a lot of guilt over Mom's death because, as with Granny, I did not go to see her in the nursing home. She was in a nursing home for about 1.5 yrs, where her health declined. The nursing home was a little over an hour away from me but because I drive an old, unreliable truck that I was afraid to drive over there. My dad basically lived there with her, he came home once or twice a month and did laundry, etc... I checked the mail and kept an eye on the house in general while he was gone. I found every excuse in the book not to go over there because I just did not want to see her there. She was my best friend... We talked every single day on the phone.

The day she was moved to hospice I finally caught a ride with my aunt and uncle and went to see her. That evening, I left her about 7pm and 12 hours later she was gone. My dad kept saying, "She was waiting on you to come before she died..."

Can you imagine the guilt that has plagued me over these two situations on top of not seeing Granny in the nursing home? I felt like a coward because I was not able to face up to what was happening, and I didn't take steps to visit any of them to make things right. I should have made things right between me and Junior and I more than should have went to visit Granny and Momma.

So, thank you both... Biblio and Myst... For your comments... Because you are making me look at the problem dead on--no pun intended. That will make grief therapy more productive.
Myst (63 posts)
+3
7 years ago (2017-02-13)
Hawkseye- I used to work in both nursing homes and Hospice care. Biblio is absolutely correct. You have nothing to blame yourself for. The wife of an Alzheimer's client once told me,"I feel like a widow without a funeral. I don't even know this man in front of me." As I told her, and now you,"Remember the person as they were. This is NOT anyone's fault."
Bibliothecarius (9 stories) (1091 posts)
+5
7 years ago (2017-02-12)
A thought for you, Hawkseye:

I am just reviewing the last week's posts, etc., and I noticed some thing very telling in one of your responses to my comments. You wrote "... That's one reason why I didn't go to see her as often as I should have once she entered the nursing home. I am a coward in that regard... I just did not want to face what was happening." That is NOT cowardice, that is PAIN.

Sorrow, anguish, misery, loss, and hurt are powerful "negative" feelings, but they are all **perfectly natural** feelings. It is OK to feel miserable about your grandmother's deterioration, it's ok to hate the fact that the dementia took her from you, but it is FAR from ok to believe that your visiting her more often could have changed anything. You're beating yourself up for no damn good reason. It's not like you could have donated a kidney and made her better.

Visiting her in the nursing home would have made you just as miserable as reflecting upon not having visited more often; you would have dreaded driving there, you'd have sat in your car in the parking lot psyching yourself up for whatever might happen, you'd have approached her room dreading a "bad" day and hoping for a "good" one, the visit would have pained you no matter if it was "good" or "bad," and there's no telling if your grandmother would have recognized you, let alone if she'd have felt pained or confused for forgetting details while talking to you. Psychological degeneration is a horrific, heartbreaking, and insidious symptom of group of diseases; there is no good way for the afflicted person's relatives, friends, and loved ones to cope with the the toll it takes on EVERYONE.

Be glad of the times you did spend with her, regret that she's gone, but stop blaming yourself for not undertaking more than you could not handle. Personally, I *HATE* nursing homes. There are incredible & dedicated people who work in them, and it's fantastic that they can do that. Retirement homes are a very different affair; emergency rooms and hospices bring their own issues to the surface. For me, though, nursing homes are over-heated, bleach-scented, sterilized hallways and institutional-furniture filled rooms surrounding the silent screaming of my panic response to flee the building. I'm a teacher who is addicted to the daily exhausting confrontation with young, creative minds; nursing homes are the antithesis of what I *need* to feel like I'm doing some good in the world.

Cowardice is not admitting your own limitations to yourself; if you just couldn't bear to go, then you were not able to do it. End of story. You loved your grandmother and she loved you,: remember who she had been and forgive yourself for being human.

Here endeth the lesson.

Best,
Biblio.
BrokenTree (76 posts)
+4
7 years ago (2017-02-06)
I want to thank everyone for their condolences. I am at peace with his death and I know that he is at peace.
hawkseye12002 (3 stories) (36 posts)
+2
7 years ago (2017-02-06)
Tweed: I read the story link you provided...it's interesting that the poster had the same sort of experience.

I don't have a lot of knowledge about "scrying", but isn't that when someone deliberately seeks out information/images by using a mirror or glass? Deliberately being the key word...

Granny's experience with the moving picture (and the author of the experience you provided) did not "deliberately" go looking for this... So would this still qualify as being a type of scrying event?

As far as her reconciling with what happened... I don't know if she ever did or not. When she would tell me these stories of hers it would always be in her "matter of fact" voice... With little or no emotion. In those times (she was born 1911), life was harder than it is today. They didn't have the electronics and such we have today so it's not as easily dismissed as being "oh, someone is playing a trick on me with their phone/image projector, etc"...so I don't know what her deep and intimate thoughts really were on what happened... I never dug that deep when she told me the stories. I do know that life was... For lack of a better word..."stringent" for her. Growing up with strict parents, she had little freedom as compared to what we have today growing up as children. She married young to a man that was a little more than twice her age and spent her life taking care of him, especially when he had a stroke and was an invalid while she was pregnant with her second child. When he passed, she found out the business they had was bankrupt, basically... So she came away with 2 children to take care of and no way to do it. Life was harder for her than it had ever been at that point, so in all, she had a tough life from start to finish. So to her, I guess the moving picture event was just another thing that happened and maybe not something she would dwell on so much due to the other things in life she had going on. She did tell me on occasion that there was a lot she couldn't do because they were always on restriction. I feel like that had a lot of influence on how she looked at things... She didn't dwell on a lot of things because she knew it wouldn't do any good, anyways.

Thank you for your kind words, I'm glad you enjoyed reading my submissions. Thanks for commenting. 😊
valkricry (48 stories) (3257 posts) mod
+2
7 years ago (2017-02-06)
Brokentree,
I too am sorry for the loss of your brother. Hugs.
Tweed (33 stories) (2475 posts)
+2
7 years ago (2017-02-06)
BrokenTree,

Thank you for taking the time to contribute to this interesting discussion. Your insights are like valuable beams of light. Given what you and your family are going through at this time it's incredibly generous of you to share your time on here with us. We are lucky to have you.
I'm really sorry for what you're going through. You seem like a really great person, your brother will have helped shape who you are in some way. I hope you can find comfort in that. Much love to you and yours. ❤

----

Hawkseye,

Your Grandmother sounds really cool.
You may find this interesting, it includes a similar picture incident. The OP had some stress in the home at the time and it seemed like what she saw in the picture was mirroring the overall emotion symbolically.
Http://www.yourghoststories.com/real-ghost-story.php?story=22276
For your Grandmother to see what happened to her cousin really suggests there's something like 'scrying' going on, like what people do with crystal balls. Whatever is going on sounds like the same thing happened in both. I hope your Grandmother was able to reconcile this vision, that's heavy at any age.

Thanks for sharing, I always love reading your narratives. 😊
RANDYM (2 stories) (266 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-02-06)
BrokenTree

I too wish to send my sympathy for the loss of your brother.
I'm sure you will miss him. While it is natural for those left
Behind to grieve the loss, also remember to be cheerful for his
Spirit, which has now been set free.

Sending you peaceful thoughts
Randy
Bibliothecarius (9 stories) (1091 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-02-05)
BrokenTree,

I'm sorry to learn that your brother has died; It is never easy to lose a loved one.

I do know that we have spirits, as I've interacted with some deceased individuals. It is good to know that your brother is no longer in pain, but you will certainly feel emotional turmoil for the next few years. Religious teachings & traditions may be of some comfort to you; I'm agnostic so I shall not preach. However, I do hope that you can see some lasting effects of your brother's good deeds while he was alive, and that they can inspire others to do good, also. If, when we leave, the Earth is a little better for our having been here, it was all worthwhile.

Best,
Biblio.
hawkseye12002 (3 stories) (36 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-02-05)
BrokenTree, I am sorry for your loss. Best wishes to you and your family.
BrokenTree (76 posts)
+2
7 years ago (2017-02-05)
Biblio

When I was young I dithered between archaeology and becoming a surgeon. My love of history won out. It wan an uncle who suggested Bio Med and said that I should make time for it. Considering the number of excavated remains that I have studied, that degree was very much in use. Depending on location and time of burial the remains could be classified as relatively recent to mummified to skeletal to black, greasy stain. It has been an exciting career for me and I would still like to go out once in a while but I am too crippled now and the pain is severe. In fact, one brother of mine (a very smart fellow) calculated that the amount of metal in my body now qualified me as a Borg. He handed me several sheets of paper with his calculations on it. It was very well thought out. I love science fiction so I knew what a Borg was but I didn't know whether to be insulted or grateful that he took the time to figure it out.
I do apologize for writing this late but one of my other brothers died yesterday. His health was rather poor and it was expected. At least he is no longer in pain.
hawkseye12002 (3 stories) (36 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-02-04)
Hi Biblio:

Thank you for the detailed explanation... It is always good to hear the explanation of the reasons why what someone said is true or false instead of just saying its wrong or right... So thank you for that.

I did love Granny very much and it was very difficult to see her go through this, and that's one reason why I didn't go to see her as often as I should have once she entered the nursing home. I am a coward in that regard... I just did not want to face what was happening.

Thank you also for your kind words and for commenting.
Bibliothecarius (9 stories) (1091 posts)
+4
7 years ago (2017-02-04)
Greettings, Hawkseye, and Welcome to YGS.

Dementia, Alzheimers, Spongiform Encephalopathy, and other degenerative neurological conditions are among the most horrific events a family can experience with a loved one. Slowly, that person you know, love, and respect disappears into the fog of confused ideation while looking very much like the person you remember. I am very sorry you had such a shocking time with your grandmother, but heartened that you recall all of the great conversations you had before her condition deteriorated. While it is possible that she did see "something" in your room, your recounting of her descriptions sounds a lot more like auto-suggestion or pareidolia conflated with seriously impaired thought processes.

Additionally, I'd like to commend BrokenTree for his clearly-explained point of view, using painful personal data as an example of the horrific potential for the twisted logic of dementia to cause harm. (Side-Note: an Archaeologist with a PhD in Bio-Med must make for interesting anthropological analyses in your work & peer-reviewed publications!)

As I am an English teacher, I would strongly caution KikiGirl against use of the words "proof," "proved," and "fact" in statements about supernatural and unexplained natural phenomena. (Other members seem to have voted down your karma points, but I'll take the time to explain the issue, instead, so you can avoid such issues in future.) I'll quote directly from the comment: "Research into Alzheimer's PROVED that Alzheimer's Disease is in some ways linked to the sixth-sense and it was PROVED in medical FACT through the comparison/s of how the brain works when processing metaphysical information." There may be data which could be interpreted in this manner, but years of study, data-gathering, independent corroboration under laboratory-level controlled environments would still only "INDICATE" or "SUGGEST" a connection. Beware "cum hoc ergo propter hoc" ("they happened at the same time, so they are related") and "post hoc ergo propter hoc" (because they happened sequentially, the first event must have caused the second one"). These are logical fallacies which are often used to bamboozle people into believing that the assertions of the speaker/writer are iron-clad logical propositions. On the other hand, science is a process of *repeated* examinations of evidence, especially when new data indicate that additional evidence -heretofore unknown- may affect our understanding of the event/phenomenon being analyzed. To quote my favorite Irish comedian, Dara Ó Briain; "Science knows it doesn't know everything; otherwise, it'd stop. But just because science doesn't know everything doesn't mean you can fill in the gaps with whatever fairy tale most appeals to you." The psychic you quoted seems to have decided upon the result of the examination *before* undertaking an exploration of the evidence (which another logical fallacy called "begging the question"), thus is guilty of leaping to conclusions and using the now-compromised conclusions to justify the opinion.

On YGS, it is good to remember that we are explorers of the unknown through personal narratives and experiences; we are all free to share suggestions and interesting tidbits, but it is dangerous for any one of us to assert that unsubstantiated claims by a third party are the only explanation.

Once again, Hawkseye, you have my sympathies. Both my maternal grandfather (deceased by close to two decades) and my paternal grandfather (currently at the start of mid-stage dementia with "good" and "bad" days) had this condition, but -in each case- it was the family who suffered with it.

Best,
Biblio.
hawkseye12002 (3 stories) (36 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-02-03)
BrokenTree: I have not had a chance to do any reading on the connection (if any) between the paranormal and Alzheimer's or dementia... But your post offers a different point of view and one must consider all of those before coming to a decision on if the event was paranormal in nature or not (in personal opinion). Thank you for the information!

You are very fortunate that you were able to move in time so that your grandmother didn't hit you with the hammer... I can imagine that was a scary moment! Personally, I would've sh*t myself...

Thank you DirtCreature and BrokenTree for commenting.
DirtCreature (guest)
+4
7 years ago (2017-02-03)
I love your posts BrokenTree. I am so glad someone said this. It is important that people in the YGS and any other paranormal-sharing websites keep to critical thinking and skepticism. Because if not it leads to believing that Alzheimers is paranormal or that schizophrenics are in touch with the other side. As Randym pointed out once, most people have probably not had ghost experiences in this world. And Alzehimers is also related to acetycholine problems, an important neurotransmitter for our brains. I feel so terribly bad for people that have mental disease. I can't imagine being in that position. It can destroy lives and tear families apart. It is certainly NOT a gift to the other side. Plus having a mental disease AND seeing ghosts would certainly be a curse in combination. 😢
BrokenTree (76 posts)
+6
7 years ago (2017-02-03)
Hawkseye
Please do NOT believe that drivel about Alzheimer's Disease. There is nothing remotely paranormal about it. The website listed is a bogus "psychic" looking for money with absolutely not one drop of advanced education in science. Alzheimer's can start at any age (some in their 20's). It is a terrible disease and should not be taken lightly.
Dementia usually occurs much later in life and this is what your grandma probably had. It is caused by ischemic thickening of the blood vessels in the brain. The brain is becoming starved of oxygen and nutrients. You must be very careful about what you say to a person with dementia. It is based on the way their memories are being eroded and created. For example: tell a dementia patient that there is a ghost or even a dog in their room and they will see and hear either one. I went through this with my Mum because my idiot brother thought it was funny. My terrified mother would barricade herself in her bedroom at night. If the house had caught fire she would have died.
I would suggest that when your grandma was younger she had seen a pamphlet or was even told that Satanists or even Catholics used to do this kind of thing to unwanted babies. The stress of the storm and going to an unfamiliar place can exacerbate symptoms of dementia. That just happened to be the first memory that popped into her head. You said you woke up and she was just standing over you staring. Since she didn't wake you up that was a symptom of dementia. She saw the babies with certainty but she didn't wake you up because she didn't remember how to do this. Consider yourself lucky. My grandmother had dementia and I had gone to her house with my Mum and aunt so I could cut the grass and trim the hedges. When I was done I came in and laid down on the couch to rest a few minutes. My aunt suddenly screamed my name and said "Watch out." I rolled off the couch just as my grandmother swung a hammer down on the pillow where my head once was. She didn't know who I was and thought I was an intruder. It's heartbreaking when someone you love doesn't know who you are. That is why I come down hard on anyone who trivializes it with pseudo-science stating that half their soul is wandering, they're off visiting the spirit world and other such drivel.
Your grandma lived a good long life and that should be enough for you.

KIKI
I would suggest that you retract what you have posted about Alzheimer's Disease before you get someone killed or injured. Don't try to tell me that the scientists said so. Scientists as a lot don't believe in the afterlife. Unless they have MD's and PhD's after their names it is all squat. Before you start sputtering, I have an MS and two PhD's and one of those is in Biomedical science.
hawkseye12002 (3 stories) (36 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-02-02)
Argette: I have also heard about blood stains that were cleaned up and then they reappeared... That seems to be pretty common. If I recall correctly, I believe she said she overheard "the adults" talking about it and it was a case of a lover's quarrel gone wrong that resulted in a death.

KiKiGirl: Thank you for the information, I will have to look into that later... Nursing a headache at the moment but wanted to acknowledge your post.

Spockie: I did wonder if what she was seeing was due to an Alzheimer's episode... Based on experiences earlier in her life, I thought it also a possibility she could be "recalling" something she saw when she was younger and didn't talk about.

We did hear odd noises from time to time in that apartment but we never thought much about it. Mainly because we had no idea what was going on in the front part of the building... Building materials could've moved (slide/fall off when not placed properly) or possibly a rodent, etc... Although we didn't have problems with rats in our part. We did have a problem with camel crickets, though...lol. Those things were horrible about getting into the apartment. Large, jumping spiders about the size of a baby's fist and they were "mottled" looking. When they hit the wall or ceiling they would make a thumping noise. They also made a loud crunching noise when stepped on, as I found out one morning when I stepped into the shower and killed one. 😆

Boo_boo: You definitely have a job that I do not envy. Just from my experience from dealing with my grandmother I know that ONE dementia patient is difficult. I can't imagine having to deal with multiple people with that disease.

Thank you all for your comments and kind words.
Argette (guest)
+1
7 years ago (2017-02-02)
Spockie, I had the same thoughts. I suspect we still have much to learn about Alzheimers. I liked that Hawkseye spent so much time with Grandma. Those times are to be cherished.
Spockie (8 stories) (203 posts)
+2
7 years ago (2017-02-02)
I don't doubt that your grandmother had a lot of real paranormal experiences over the years, but the episode at your apartment with the babies on spikes was probably an hallucination due to the beginnings of Alzheimers Disease. I have see this happen with relatives and friends of the family. In the early stages and afterwards, hallucinations are common.
Argette (guest)
 
7 years ago (2017-02-02)
KikiGirl, that's great information, and while I'm not all that up on the link between hallucinations and Alzheimer's, what you have noted has been my experience. Your suggestions are wonderful, and my family and I are working on them. We are lucky to have lots of photos and other items from deceased family members.

Thank you for your kind and thoughtful post.
KikiGirl (8 stories) (207 posts)
-4
7 years ago (2017-02-02)
hawkseye12002! What a strange and interesting story. I think your Grandmother would think fondly that you remembered and thought to share her experiences with others. Those days, everything was so hush-hush and anything out of the ordinary was not discussed and frowned upon, so, at least she had the opportunity to share these moments with you in her lifetime.

Research into Alzheimer's proved that Alzheimer's Disease is in some ways linked to the sixth-sense and it was proved in medical fact through the comparison/s of how the brain works when processing metaphysical information. Also, they described some of the behavior associated with Alzheimers:
A. Visual Hallucinations versus seeing past the natural world:
A.1. Seeing Angels or other religious figures or people dressed in religious clothes - ie. Robes.
A.2. Seeing relatives that have passed away.
A.3.Seeing pets and animals that are deceased.
A.4. Seeing people who are not there
B. Time loss.
C. Auditory Hallucinations versus Clairaudience.

I watched a television program which clearly described and listed the link/s. Unfortunately, I could only find the following article/s but maybe you could read into it as well:
1. Ideas on the Soul Path of a Person with Alzheimer's:
Https://apsychicsview.com/2014/11/26/alzheimers/

I find a lot of religious people have, at least, one very/unpleasant spiritual encounter in their life. Sometimes, it is a test of a persons will to believe with all their heart, in the good in the world when facing something so terrible.

It must have been an incredibly difficult experience for you and your family. Such is it that in our life, sometimes we will be faced with things that are beyond our control and we will have to find a way to work through it and eventually live with it.

I've also had close relatives who passed away and I always try and do something special to remember the person. Light candles and put them in the pool at sunset or I've made a scrapbooks with photo/s of us all. At the end of the day, when one comes to the end of their life, we will look back at all the people in our life, and those who touched our life and shared something special with us. I am sure that your Grandmother had this one, very, special connection to hold dear.
Argette (guest)
 
7 years ago (2017-02-02)
The blood incident appears to be a common one; I've heard it woven into a variety of scenarios.

How frustrating!

Dementia is very difficult. I'm familiar with the toll it takes on a family.

My observation is that sometime, the dementia patient can actually recall surpressed memories, at least in the early stages. That may not be true gor everyone, of course.

Thank you and my best to your family, Hawkseye.
boo_boo1988 (1 stories) (3 posts)
 
7 years ago (2017-02-02)
Hi Hawks eye, thanks so much for sharing your grandmothers stories.

I am sorry to hear about your grandmother, I have worked in a long term care facility for over 6 years and know how difficult dementia can be on a person and their loved ones.

I wish you and your family the best of luck!

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