She turned 83 on August 1. Just the day before we were all in Indianapolis. My cousin was playing a basketball game there and everyone went. Grandma was her normal self... walking, climbing stairs, talking with everyone and cheering on her granddaughter. The week before that, she had two of her great grandsons at her house for the week and took them all over the city.
She turned 83 on Monday, August 1 and just a few days later, she was in the hospital. She had a stroke and although her motor function was not affected, her speech was. Her sister called a couple of days late to wish her a Happy Birthday. She was not talking right so her sister called my aunt, who called my mom. My mom took her to the hospital where she went through tests and continued to have trouble finding words or speaking correctly.
I got to see her on Friday afternoon... I wish I had been there sooner. I think she knew who I was... but I can't be sure. We spent the next two days in the hospital and family members came from all over to be with her. On Sunday, at exactly 9:00 pm, she was gone. It was peaceful... she had sons, daughters and grandkids all around her bed. There were a few people who didn't make it back, but who said their goodbyes on a phone held to her ear.
My mom told me that the doctor told her on Wednesday that she could no longer live alone. I'm pretty sure that this is when she made up her mind that she did not want to live if it couldn't be how she wanted. I am very lucky to have great memories of her from my wedding week. She was at my parents' house every day helping me with things... she saved the day by re-making the bottom layer of our groom's cake... and I have these great pictures of her (thanks to Catie's Captures) that I can always remember her by...
