Today, my adopted grandma, Millie passed away.
(August 2010, this was right before I left for USU.)
The last moments I shared with Millie was yesterday, was when my mom called me to come down to Millie's house ASAP.
I rushed down the street, hoping that it wasn't anything urgent.
My mom needed me to help Millie walk back to her bed. She had been in a lot of pain and needed to get to lay down. My mom and I had to literally lift her up off of the seat she was sitting on and help her walk with her walker back to bed. About halfway down the hallway, Millie said she HAD to stop and she needed a rest. My mom and I told her that we were almost there and to keep going. The next thing we knew, she slipped through our arms and collapsed to the floor. At that point, my heart raced. I thought we had lost her right then.
My mom and I lifted her into a chair and she began vomiting and she said she was in so much pain.
We told her, that we HAD to hurry and get her to her bed, but she said she just couldn't walk any farther. I cannot tell you how hard this was for me. I had never seen her in such terrible shape in my life. Millie grasped her frail hands around mine and my mom's and we just sat and waited for numerous minutes.
My mom turned to Millie and said, "Millie, we need to get you to your bed, you need to take your medicine and get sleep."
Millie said she couldn't.
My mom then confidently said, "Millie, I believe if we say a little prayer he will give you the strength to walk to your bed."
At that moment my mom's eyes began to water and at that moment, I was so grateful to be there with my mom. My mom has spiritual strength. She relies on God and even something like just having the strength to walk 5 feet for Millie, was just what we needed.
Great news, we were able to get Millie into bed and take her meds.
My mom and I had to carry her, to her bed and Millie kept saying that her back was killing her.
My mom and I's final moments with Millie was rubbing her back for relief.
Even though this story was sad and very hard for me to experience, I am grateful that my mom and I were able to be there for Millie when she needed us most.
I remember walking home with my mom after Millie feel asleep and I told her, "Mom she really needs to pass. I can't keep watching her be in so much pain and I can't imagine how much pain SHE is in."
The Lord agreed with us and felt like her time on this earth was over.
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Here is how we knew Millie:
We moved into the home we are in now in April of 1993 (a year after I was born). Millie's husband passed away August of that year. After he passed away, my family adopted Millie as our grandma. We looked up to her, as we look up to our real grandmas. She meant so much to us.
We, kids, spent hundreds of hours visiting with her daily, bringing her home-cooked meals, feeding her cats for her and taking care of simple house and yard work. Even though we spent a lot of time helping her, she returned the favor in numerous ways.
She was always there for us when we needed someone to talk to. I can remember numerous times with not just me, but my siblings...getting in trouble with our parents and by default, we chose to "run away," of course our parents weren't worried, because we headed straight to Millie's.
She loved talking about her husband. She told us the same stories about when he used to run the movies on a regular basis. Of course, we never corrected her...but chose to embrace her stories and listen carefully.
She was there for us when we got simple bee stings or little scratches. She would bandage us up and give us what proper ointments we needed.
Not only was she a listening ear, but a little doc and a loving woman who cared about us so much.
She was a gem. I sure will miss her.
But, I know that now she is free of pain and in the arms of her husband.
Until we meet again. XOXO.
