...Mamaw...

This may be more detail than you need, but I'd like to catalog the past 2 weeks and the events surrounding the end of my Mamaw's life.

2 weeks ago I was in Dallas and we got word that my grandmother was in the hospital. She had been diagnosed with pneumonia. Something happened to cause her to lose her ability to swallow. They were not sure if she had had a stroke, causing her to forget how to swallow, in which case she would be able to relearn how to swallow, or if some of her brain cells had atrophied, meaning she would never be able to swallow again.

In either case, my dad and his siblings had to make the decision of whether or not to give her a feeding tube. She had ALWAYS told my aunt that she DID NOT want a feeding tube. But, for many many reasons, they all agreed to try the feeding tube to see if she could regain strength and then relearn to swallow and be able to gain nutrition on her own again some day, without the feeding tube (this was a best case scenario).

Most of you don't know my Mamaw, but she was a very stubborn, strong willed person. She had strong opinions on things and was not shy about it. Because of this, she was extremely aggitated in the hospital, for which reasons they had to sedate her many times while she was in the hospital. She was not able to talk, but was somewhat aware of what was going on. Once she realized that they were giving her a feeding tube, it is the belief of my family, that she gave up.

My grandmother lived a long life in which she was faithful to the Lord. Trust me, if you ever met her, she was asking you if you knew Jesus. She always had several tracks in her Bible, and was an amazing prayer warrior! I am eternally grateful for her life and the importance she put on passing down her faith to her children and her grandchildren. Because of her, all 3 of her children are followers of Jesus, and between the 3 of them, they have raised 10 Christ followers as well!

WHAT A LEGACY!

I can only hope some day that I can pass on the spiritual heritage that she handed down to my dad, my sisters and my cousins as well!

The Lord called her home on August 1, 2008. I am grateful that the Lord kept her from suffering and gave peace to all of us that she had lived a full and long life honoring to the Lord! Of course we will miss her, but rejoice in knowing that we will see her again in Heaven!

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS for my family over the last few weeks.

Super Duper: THE OLYMPICS!!!
Super Pooper: My throat started hurting today...boooooo!