My Grandma

My grandma passed away today at the age of 87. I had taken Bailey to see her a couple weeks ago and she was doing pretty well. She had just had her friends over to play Bridge, which she did every Monday for probably the past 15 years. Her legs were giving her trouble though--they were all swollen and secreting fluid which meant her heart wasn't able to pump her fluids properly. My dad had said she probably wouldn't last until Christmas so I thought it would be quite a few months until she would pass away.

I got a call from my mom Friday night saying she was at Grandma's house and that she wasn't doing well. We were heading home from a wedding reception in the area so we stopped by to visit. About 48 hours before that, my grandma wasn't able to move on her own anymore so they had brought in a hospital bed where she could rest and be taken care of. When we walked in Friday she was asleep and looked very different from her perky self I had seen just a week or so before. She fell in and out of sleep and would doze off mid-sentence so we weren't able to talk to her much. We did say goodbye knowing that she wouldn't last too much longer.

We got updates from my mom or dad who went to visit her often the past couple days. Today we decided to go see her again knowing that she would probably pass away or tomorrow. We got there a little before 3 PM and she passed away soon after. My dad, Dan and Camille were all there to see her pass. It was sad and we all shed tears, but it was also a relief to know she wasn't suffering anymore--she could breath easy, walk and she probably looks like the hottie she was in her younger years (my grandma used to be a jewelry model back in the day). She is now with all those people who have gone before her and who have been waiting for her. My aunt Camille said she could almost feel what my grandma was feeling--she was at peace and she felt great! I think it was also a relief for her three children to know their mom wasn't suffering anymore and she could finally be at peace, physically and mentally.

The word that best describes my grandma is CLASS. She WAS a classy lady. I have never seen her without her hair done, her makeup on and dressed to the T. She was always proper and even held a manners class for us when we were little. She was also very proud and would tell people that if we ever did something bad to be sure we didn't tell anyone our last name. She and my grandpa had worked hard during their lives to be good people and to always do the right thing. They weren't perfect, but they lived good lives and did their best.

My grandma was a great cook and she would often invite us over for Sunday dinner with the whole family and I LOVED it. She usually made some kind of meat and always served mashed potatoes and gravy. And she always served dessert--usually some kind of cookie or cake she had made the previous week and icecream. Before each dinner she would say, "Take all you want...eat all you take." She wasn't a waster. She bought almost all her clothing at thrift stores and was quite a frugal shopper. We wondered at this because my grandma and grandpa were very well off--I guess that's why they always had money though.

In the past few years it was hard for her to have big groups of people over so we would go visit in small groups. When the great-grandkids came along we gave her the nickname GG so they wouldn't be confused with their other grandmas. She always tried to hold the babies and play with them even if it was a struggle. She would recite nursery rhymes with them and always did "Chin Chopper" to each little baby. She would even try to play catch with them or entertain them with the puppets she had downstairs in her toy box.

Conversations were pretty repetitive as her mind was slowly fading. She would ask about family members over and over and she would compliment me on Bailey saying, "You're never going to have a child as bright as her." I would just smile and say something like, "Yep, she's a good little kid." I was always surpised though at her amazing memory. She couldn't remember what you had just told her, but she could tell you what each of her children and grandchildren were up to. She also had an amazing talent for telling stories and reciting things she had learned. She had participated in bookclubs ever since I could remember and she really enjoyed learning new things. She was a smart lady!

Goodbye grandma. I love you very much and appreciate all your service to me and my family. You will never be forgotten.