Freedom

I figured last Friday that I'd write this post about the kids being out of school for the summer. Everyone knows how much I've been looking forward to that-most days even more so than my kids themselves! Our excitement for the beginning of summer vacation was dampened some though by the news that my Grandma passed away on Thursday afternoon.



We all knew it was coming, she was first placed in Hospice care back at the end of March. She was one tough old lady though, and kept hanging on longer than anyone thought she would! She's been in and out of the hospital a number of times over the past 4 yrs, many of those times we all thought "oh, this will be it, how could she make it through this again?", but she always pulled through. By Wednesday last week it became very evident that this was the end. With as much as she struggled the last few days, it truly was a blessing that she was finally able to let go. I chose not to go see her in those last few days, wanting to keep my memories of the last time I saw her-Mother's day-instead. It was hard enough to watch my own mom watching her mom let go. I was with my Mom on Wednesday night and it was hard to see her not quite know what to do about it all. Knowing it was happening, and that there was nothing to be done but just wait. So while it was sad that she did finally let go, we are all grateful that she is not laying there just hurting and waiting to go anymore. The saddest part for me was that she mentioned to my mom a number of times that she was sad she wouldn't be here to see my new baby-she was so very happy that we were getting another little girl.


So, here's to Grandma's Freedom. Freedom from being tethered to oxygen tubes for the past 6 or so years. Freedom from the nursing home-that while it was a blessing to be there and be cared for, just wasn't home. Freedom from the discomfort and eventually pain that she sat through each day for the last weeks. I think Jacob summed it up best when upon our telling the children that Grandma died he said "Oh good! Now she's not sick anymore!"


Grandma was always good for a laugh, comments that made your eyes roll, and more than enough treats to make us all sick. For the best sleepovers and the best "hotcakes" ever, for smashed pennies from the railroad tracks, for celebrating every holiday known to man with some sort of goody bag. For terms like "num-nums" and "to-to" and always saying goodbye with the words "give me a buzz" (give me a call) so my dad could turn to us and say "she'd look funny with a buzz!"