Sorry for your loss. My condolences. My grandmother died shortly after I moved to Japan. She suffered from serious Alzheimer's so she didn't know who I was anymore. My grandfather lasted longer. I didn't have kids yet, but I always entertained the idea of him lasting until he could meet my children. He couldn't wait though and died about 11 years ago. Interestingly, my wife became pregnant only a week or two after he passed away. Due to the timing there, a lot of older Japanese told us our son was my grandpa reborn. Silly superstition, but also kind of a nice and comforting idea.
Anyway, again, sorry for your loss.
My grandmother, the wife of my grandfather who just passed, died a few months before I came to Japan, so the opposite of you, but also with serious Alzheimer’s.
My grandfather experienced her illness and I didn’t ever want that to happen to him.
Apparently, some time within the past six months he began having Alzheimer’s hallucinations that would leave him very confused and panicked. When I spoke to him last week, he was crystal clear and knew who everyone was around him. Two months ago, he dropped by my brother’s house with his girlfriend and walked himself around the property, smiling at my brother’s new projects.
Whether he somehow choose to let himself go, or his time just came, I don’t know, but it’s a blessing that he was able to pass away peacefully and before his hallucinations became worse.
That’s interesting about the timing of your wife’s pregnancy. As much as I don’t fully believe in the meaning of those coincidences, I still enjoy them and find comfort in them. I wrote about it in a separate comment on this post.
Aw, you too....
Interesting superstition!
When Sister #3 was dying of stomach cancer, she kept holding out for the birth of her granddaughter. Kelly fought so hard and we kept hearing "this is it, this time it's the last battle," but she hung in there until the baby came - three weeks early! - and Kelly never managed to open her eyes and SEE the baby, but she twitched as if in response to hearing that the baby is safe and right here in the room. Ten hours later she died. Her daughters believe Kelly's spirit is especially (imbued?) in this baby. Reincarnation? Nah. That baby has her own soul. But we all love to believe that when a loved one dies, their spirit lives on - in our hearts, in our personalities - we are formed, shaped, influenced, by family members.