Unfortunately the surgery was only partially successful. The tumor was removed, but Grandma never fully recovered. She was in the hospital for a while, moved to rehab and shortly after was moved to a long term care facility, Orchard Park.
The tumor came back quickly and Grandma's condition worsened by the day. We prayed that she would pass quickly and end her suffering.
March 13th my mom, aunt Arlene (visiting from Utah), Caroline and I were in exercise class when my dad called and let us know that Grandma had died. We were happy she was no longer suffering, but were heartbroken for the loss of her in our lives.
Grandma was an incredible, amazing. loving person. Her life was filled with love and service for others. She influenced my life in countless ways--I could write books with everything she taught me and all the things she did for me.
Growing up, she was just Grandma--we loved going to her house and wrapping up in the "soft blankets" (made from old-school flannel pajamas that my dad and his siblings wore--the flannel had been washed so many times that it was the softest thing you had ever felt), eating incredibly good food at every meal, fun family parties and just sitting on grandma's lap and talking to her. Grandma always made you feel like you were the most important person in her life--I always felt that way and was surprised as I got older and realized that all of my cousins felt that way.
In college Grandma was my lifeline. I started college 6 weeks after my parents moved to Georgia. Grandma and Grandpa picked me up at my apartment and brought me to their house anytime I needed to get away. They took me grocery shopping (and waited in the car for me while I shopped). They even took me to get my wisdom teeth out when I needed that. More than all they did for me was the advice Grandma gave me--getting along with roommates, cooking, recipes, and most of all giving me a place where I could go and feel the love that "home" offers. She never complained about coming to get me or take me somewhere, she jut asked when I needed to go.
When Matt and I were living in Orem, while Matt was going to law school, we were lucky to live near them. We had so much fun being close to them. Matt and I would go camping frequently and Grandma and Grandpa would drive to where we were camping and have a "wienie roast" with us. We spent just about every single Sunday evening with them. When Caroline was born, Grandma was a constant source of help. She helped me figure out how to be a mom. Grandma celebrated Caroline's every accomplishment as if it was the first time she had ever seen a baby do that particular thing. She loved Caroline walking around her family room pushing her little train as much as Matt and I did--she really was just as excited as we were, even though she had seen her kids, her grandkids and even quite a few great grandkids do the same thing.
Grandma was famous for her cooking--she was the source for my all time favorite food (Acini de Pepi salad--my mom hated it so I always looked forward to Grandma's house and being able to have it), and I still make it from her own recipe. She cooked enough for a crowd--even if there were only a few people there. There was never a person that went to Grandma's house to eat and left anything other than stuffed! She didn't know how to make anything simple--every recipe we got from her is a lot of work! Grandma would start cooking for family parties at least a week in advance. Even when she was in a wheelchair because she couldn't stand, she still spent a week in the kitchen preparing for everyone. She didn't complain about the work, she wouldn't even let anyone help (even if you insisted). Grandma loved it.
She did tell me about her top secret recipe for pie crusts. She said she made homemade pie crusts her entire life until a few years before (Matt was in law school) when she found refrigerated pie crusts. She tried them out one year and everyone told her how great the pie crusts were and how no one could make pies like grandma. After that she always used refrigerated crusts! She told me to use them and tell people it was my grandma's secret recipe!
Grandma was always happy being in the background--she didn't want attention or praise, she wanted her family to be happy and to like being together. She once told me that the secret to being happy is to have no expectations--then no matter what happens it exceeds your expectations and you are happy. If one person showed up on Sunday evening she was thrilled, if 50 people showed up, she was just as happy. Everyone loved being around grandma, because she loved everyone with a love I can only describe as Christ-like. She was happiest surrounded by her family.
The world was a better place because of her, and everyone who knew her was better because of having her in their life.
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