Gramma D

I just got a call from my sis to tell me that my sweet Gramma D passed away this morning around 2:00 am.  While it's not a surprise, it's still a shock to my heart.  She has been in nursing care for about 3 years now, 2+ years of that with Alzheimers disease.  She got a bad infection this week and the doctors said that it would be hard for her body to fight it, and that we might want to say our goodbyes.  Even as late as Thursday and Friday during visits with my sister and dad, she was more or less "normal," which means she was alert and talking, although the conversation was confused by the Alzheimers.  So, when I planned to see her on Saturday, I didn't expect to see anything much different than I've seen on the past several visits.  But, when I walked in with my sister and my kiddos, I was really surprised to see how sick she really was.  She was in and out of consciousness during our visit, partly because she had just had a dose of morphine, but I think it was mostly because she was in that place of limbo, her spirit getting ready to leave her body.  She would open her eyes and focus on us for a few seconds, and try to say a few words, and then she'd be asleep again.  I explained to Tess later that I believe her spirit was kind of going back and forth between this world and heaven.  Sweet little Miles piped up and said, "she'll be in heaven with Gramma Kathy, and then they can be together!!"  His little 3-year-old spirit sure understands the Plan of Salvation!

Mel told me that most of the family gathered to Gramma's room last night and said a family prayer together and then they all sat around remembering and telling fun stories about Gramma.  There was a happy feeling in the room, and I'm sure that my Gramma could feel the love all around her.  It was not long after most people left that she passed away.  I'm sure she wanted to wait and go after the fun had stopped.  She was such a fun-loving, funny lady.  She always wore lots of jewelry and cute outfits.  She was so young at heart all her life, loving to laugh and be silly.  I remember my mom telling me that when she (my mom) was in high school, all of her friends would beg my Gramma to take them "dragging Main," and that Gramma was just like one of the girls.  Just a few weeks ago I turned on a DVD we have of old home movies from my mom's family growing up.  There is no sound, just picture, but it's still so fun to see the love in the family; my gramma was always kissing someone.  Everyone in the family knows about having to wipe off Gramma's bright lipstick from our cheeks after a big smooch.

I love her a lot. I'll miss her a lot. But I know that she's so very happy at this moment, with her sweetheart Andy, and her beautiful daughter Kathy, and her parents and siblings and grandson and friends who've gone before her. What a joyous reunion in Heaven today.