Edna Marlene Giest
09/22/1934 - 02/23/2015
This morning at 6am Montana time my Grandma passed away. A week and a half ago she fell and spiral fractured her leg. The same leg that she had broken a couple years prior. Normally that wouldn't be life threatening, but Grandma had a bunch of other health issues....hepatitis (from a blood transfusion years ago), congestive heart failure, diabetes and cirrhosis of the liver. That last one was the biggest issue. Because of her injury her liver wasn't functioning and her body got backed up with ammonia. So much so it went into her brain. We didn't know if she'd come out of the coma she was in, but she did. Things looked hopeful for a day or so and then her body started retaining fluid. Last Friday they drained 2 gallons of fluid from her abdomen. Then on Saturday morning the doctors let us know that her liver was completely shutdown and it would never recover. Grandma has had so many setbacks these last couple of years and she just kept coming back each time. Weaker and more frail though. This time she was so frail and her body was just giving up.
My Mom and Dad were with my Aunts and Uncles all last week. My mom got to have a nice time with her mother where she recognized her and was able to kiss her face. After that Grandma just slipped into a coma and they were keeping her comfortable with morphine. Mom and Dad drove back home so they could take care of work things and get more clothes and medication. They are leaving today for Gillette Wyoming. My Grandma is being transported by ambulance to the funeral home in Gillette.
Last September was the last time I got to see my Grandma alive. My mom and I took a trip out just the two of us. Grandma's health hadn't been the best and I just felt like God was telling me to go. Click here for that blog post. I'm so glad that we got to take that trip. I'm so glad that I got to sit in their apartment and just talk and talk with them. Of course I did most of the talking! :) Grandpa even mentioned how on earth I even got enough air!
The hardest part about Grandma passing away is the not knowing if she's with the Lord. When Peepaw died it was sad, but it was also such a joyous time. His body was healed and we know without a doubt where he is and we will see him again. That promise is the best thing ever! I believe my Grandma was raised Lutheran, but her and Grandpa never really went to church...not that you have to go to church to be saved, but there wasn't a lot of evidence that she was walking with the Lord. I can't say that she didn't have a real true God moment when she was younger so there is hope. Still it's not the same and truly knowing! That's the part that hurts the most!
Michael gets bereavement so he can stay home with the kids and I can go to her funeral. Life kind of feels like it's on hold right now. Ella's birthday party had to be postponed since Ga-Ga & Pa weren't going to make it and now it looks like it might have to be canceled again. I'm thinking that we will just have a quiet family dinner to celebrate her. Life is so short and precious.
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