Obama: Grandmother may not see Election Day

[Pale Blue Dot]

Source: MSNBC

HONOLULU - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says he's not sure his gravely ill grandmother will live to see Election Day.

Obama flew to Hawaii to visit Madelyn Dunham, 85, who helped raise Obama. The Illinois senator said he left the campaign trail with less than two weeks remaining before the election because his grandmother is ill but alert. Her brother has said she recently fell and broke a hip.

"Without going through the details too much, she's gravely ill. We weren't sure and I'm still not sure whether she makes it to Election Day," Obama told ABC's "Good Morning America" in an interview broadcast Friday.

"We're all praying and we hope she does, but one of the things I want to make sure of is I had a chance to sit down with her and to talk to her. She's still alert and she's still got all her faculties. And I want to make sure that I don't miss that opportunity," he said.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27357561 /

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Moderators: I thought this story had a significant wrinkle that the other story in LBN about Obama's visit did not have. Please feel free to combine it with the other thread if you disagree.

[nidancricket]

1. thoughts

That's too bad, hoping she gets better!!!

[goddess40]

2. That's heartbreaking

So much pain to have to go through and now he can't be with her because the election is so near. I hope everyone appreciates the sacrifice he is making.

[xultar]

4. But if she does go, that's an advocate that would be good to have upstairs...

I know it is heartbreaking but she'll be pulling for him in spirit and spirits don't have broken hips or pain.

Praying for grandma!
X

[goclark]

6. I just mailed my card to his Grandma

in c/o his headquarters in Hawaii.

I told her how special Grandmothers are.

I was crying when I put the stamp on because I kept thinking of my grandma.

[tosh]

8. All so true.

I am so glad that he is spending this time with her.

This will be a great loss, whenever it comes, but it is harder to bear with the kind of regret that comes from missing that last visit.

[Dr.Phool]

14. I'm glad he got to see her.

My mother died in a hospice just after Thanksgiving.

I drove all night to be there, and she died 15 minutes after I got there. She got to squeeze my hand one last time.

[Parche]

3. Memories

[Tansy_Gold]

5. The greatest concern in pneumonia

I lost a husband and three friends that way.

[Frustratedlady]

7. And, blood clots. We've lost two that way after a fracture.

[VWolf]

9. The good news is he's there now

That means he won't have to re-live the tragedy of 1995, when he missed his mother's passing.

[Lugnut]

10. I hope she makes it.

Godspeed, Mrs Dunham.

[JimDandy]

11. K&R n/t

[FredStembottom]

12. She is probably wanting to see Election Day more than anything.....

I pray for her to see that glorious day!

[rucognizant]

13. They say..........

We chose our time of dying...................I bet she will be here on Nov 4th!
I've observed, that's the way things work. Those who have earned the rewards of karma, are rewarded.

I had to drop everything in April, to drive to Fla. because my 92 yr old,Mother was going to undergo surgery. They discovered infection, treated her for that for 5 days rather than the surgery. In the course of the hospital stay, her mental confusion increased greatly, so the surgery didn't go through later, the problem was solved through changes in her routine that worked. But she never regained the mental accuity that had been lost; her memory of weords has escaped her............However she is physically very healthy and just celebrated her 93rd birthday. SHe knewmy Brother not his wife and was very happy with my phone call and sung happy birthday, whether she actually knew who I was or not.

[FredStembottom]

20. Beautiful.

I'm sure her spirit is fighting to keep her here.

[demigoddess]

15. Here's hoping she makes it. This must be one special grandma and we all

hope she makes it. Would love to see her at the Inauguration, wouldn't you?

[kitty1]

16. Her strong spirit will hopefully see her thru to witness his triumph n/t

[eowyn_of_rohan]

17. Someone ought to bring her a ballot and let her vote now!

[Hekate]

18. I believe she already voted by absentee ballot. nt

[Smarmie Doofus]

19. Ordinary people did not produce Obama.

She may defy expectations and odds.

Hope so.

[JerseygirlCT]

21. This won't sound right,

but I'm glad he's got the chance.

So often things happen before we have the chance for that last visit. Or after a loved one has lost their faculties or ability to communicate.

[rocktivity]

22. Michelle said in a speech that Toot's birthday is tomorrow.

And of course it goes without saying that she must be quite close to death if Obama felt he needed to time off from the campaign at this point.


rocknation

[Maeve]

23. I hope she lives to see her grandson elected our president

And further, that she sees him take the office in January.

Blessings on you, dear woman.