My Journey through Breast Cancer

On October 11, 2013, I was diagnosed with Stage II Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) ... or as we like to call it, extreme measures for a nap (EMFN). For a while, this blog will be my cancer journal. Enter at your own risk.

01 August 2008

12/26/26 - 7/31/08

My grandmother passed away yesterday. As expected as it was, it has still been one of the saddest moments of my life. Yes, she lived a long and wonderfully meaningful life. And yes, I was privileged to get to spend some good time with her before she died. And yes, she was a grandma, one of those family members we all expect to lose in our younger years. In fact, most would say I am fortunate for having had her so long. But these things don't make my sadness any less. My grandma was an extraordinary woman who taught everyone around her what it meant to be selfless, to love, to be at peace in the present, to think eternally, to love Jesus above all else. She was an amazing example of what it means to be a woman, a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. Every person she had a chance to love felt like they must be her favorite. In reality, she had a lot of favorites.

I will miss my grandmother deeply. It is the most surreal thing. Just Saturday she sat at Amy's shower talking with us and enjoying the time with family. And today she's gone. How does that happen so fast? And how am I supposed to wrap my head around it? I haven't quite gotten there yet.

My grandparents' house has been full with family since yesterday morning. It has been the biggest testament to Grandma's legacy as the family promptly took days off work and begged out of other responsibilities just to be with Grandpa and be together. It is the family they built that today comes together with such love and care for one another. We have done a lot of crying, a lot of laughing. Grandma would have loved it.

Services are planned for Tuesday at 2:00 at Granada Heights Friends Church. The church only holds 750, so if you plan on coming, come early for a good seat. She had way more friends than 750.

P.S. On another note: Please be praying for my cousin Josh and his wife Kel. They're in Colorado and were planning on flying out tomorrow. But their 2-year-old daughter Kayla managed to swallow a bottle full of Excedrin gel cap pills. She was taken to the local hospital in Steamboat Springs where they pumped her stomach and monitored her for a while. But a toxologist made a decision a little while ago to have her airlifted to a bigger children's hospital in Denver. There is no reason she shouldn't come out of this OK, but please be praying for Josh and Kel and the rest of the Elwood family as they take care of this precious girl in the midst of grieving for Grandma and desiring to be here with the family. Thank you!

5 comments:

km said...

I'll be praying for you. Losing someone special like that hurts for a long time. Even when you KNOW she's in the presence of God.

And Kayla, Josh & Kel too.

Knitting Keep Me sane said...

I am so sorry. I have been thinking about you often after I started reading your blog.

My prayers are with all of your family.

I will pray for God to help you through this.

Sarah Godshall

Gretchen said...

Heidi, we are grieving with you and your family. Your Grandma was an amazing Godly women who I admired so much.
She will be greatly missed.

Knitting Keep Me sane said...

I hope you are all doing well after the funeral. I was thinking of you today.

Sarah Godshall

Red Ink and Vibrato said...

My heart hurts with yours, Heidi, but it also rejoices in hearing about what a wonderful, amazing woman your grandmother was.

May the Lord comfort you and give you great peace in the days to come...