"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal"

     Well this weekend was definitely one that I will never forget. As my Grandma Brown (talked about in previous post) continued to go down hill through out the week, I new that I would need to free my weekend. I called and talked to her daily although at time she seemed a little bit out of it. She was excited that my sisters and I were going to be down there in few days. Early Friday morning, my sisters (Amber and Alisha) and I left Ogden and headed to Butte, Montana. My mom and oldest sister, Nicole, had arrived there on Thursday along with my mom's two brothers. When we got to Butte, I was able to use my magnificent navigational skills and got us to the assisted living place where my grandma lived. We quickly went up to my grandmas room where my mom embraced us in a hug, and the tears rushed out of my eyes. Lying on her bed with her eyes closed, was my grandma.

     Although my grandma's eyes weren't open, she was still responsive when we got there. She would squeeze our hand when we held her hand, and would move her arms and head every once in a while. We talked to her as though nothing was wrong and made sure that she knew who all was there with her. As the day went on, many relatives called or skyped us to say their final goodbyes to my grandma. We would hold the phone next to my grandma's ear so she could hear those who called. Many of her friends who live in the same building also stopped by to give her one last hug. A couple hours after my sisters and I had gotten there, my grandma stopped reacting to anything. She would no longer squeeze our hands or react to us talking to her. The rest of the night dragged on as we all sat around in her room talking and waiting.

     It was getting pretty late so after saying goodbye to everyone, including my grandma, my Uncle Dwayne decided to head back home and my Uncle Don and Aunt Tina decided to head down to there room. We got ready for bed and laid down at about 12:30. Instead of trying to sleep, my sister Alisha sat in there chair and held my grandma's hand. At about 2:40 on 11/12/11, we all saw my grandma take her last breaths. As my grandma laid there motionless, the tears began to fall as we realized that she was gone. Right away my mom called my two uncles and they headed right over. I sat beside my grandma and as I held her hand, I felt it become cold. After our family had time alone with her, the hospice lady called the mortuary. The mortician came up and talked to us for a while and then gave us a few more minutes to say our final goodbyes before he would take the body. As my uncles, mom , and sisters approached my grandma with tear filled eyes, it broke my heart eve more. I gave my grandma one last hug, kissed her cold cheek, and told her that I loved her and would miss her. I walked out of the room arm in arm with my mom and sisters so the mortician could remove the body from her room. We walked back into the room and as I saw the indention of my grandmas body still on the bed, I knew that things would be different.

     My grandma was fighting lung cancer as well as two brain tumors. She lasted way longer than she was expected to and I never heard her complain. She was a fighter and loved her family very much. All the nurses loved her and told us that they knew almost everything that was going on in our lives because my grandma would keep them updated. I will never forget all of the memories we had together and the love that she showed me. I am comforted by the knowledge that I have that she is not suffering anymore and that she has been reunited with her husband, parents, sister, and two grandchildren. Although we are mourning her loss down here on earth, I know that there was a joyous reunion up above. I am also thankful that I was able to receive the comfort that I needed from my family members as we all faced this hardship together. My dad and brothers came up on Saturday after they found out the news, so we were able to have my whole family together. I love my family!!

Me hugging my Grandma Brown at my High School Graduation