My grandmother passed away years ago, so she can't speak for herself but I can so I'm going to, because it still surprises me.
My grandmother had tongue or throat cancer when I was a little girl. (I don't remember which. She had a few different variations, including breast cancer and I believe ovarian but I can't be sure.) The doctor gave her one year left to live.
The doctor was wrong and God gave her, I believe, 17(?) more years!
She had a piece of her tongue replaced with a piece of skin from her leg. She ate by pouring Ensures through a tube in her stomach. She couldn't speak very well to the point where it was easily understood. As a kid I became her "translator" and helped her with phone calls from time to time. She raised me part time.
She ended up going to church, and dragged me along and waking me up by turning up the cartoons really loud and singing, "This is the day... This is the day that the Lord has made...!" as well and loud as she could.
I lost her and my husband and I split in the same week (I lived across the country), so it was the right time to come back for the memorial, but when I came back the family was doing the usual fighting over her things thing. I got a few pairs of the clothes that nobody wanted and I took the old copper ice cream spoon, because it reminded me of her always having freezer burnt vanilla ice cream for me or whoever else.
In one of her jackets that I was given, I found a handwritten verse in her pocket that she must have carried everywhere with her. (I don't have this now because I gave it to my mother for comfort.)
Psalms 23:4-6
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
My grandmother had tongue or throat cancer when I was a little girl. (I don't remember which. She had a few different variations, including breast cancer and I believe ovarian but I can't be sure.) The doctor gave her one year left to live.
The doctor was wrong and God gave her, I believe, 17(?) more years!
She had a piece of her tongue replaced with a piece of skin from her leg. She ate by pouring Ensures through a tube in her stomach. She couldn't speak very well to the point where it was easily understood. As a kid I became her "translator" and helped her with phone calls from time to time. She raised me part time.
She ended up going to church, and dragged me along and waking me up by turning up the cartoons really loud and singing, "This is the day... This is the day that the Lord has made...!" as well and loud as she could.
I lost her and my husband and I split in the same week (I lived across the country), so it was the right time to come back for the memorial, but when I came back the family was doing the usual fighting over her things thing. I got a few pairs of the clothes that nobody wanted and I took the old copper ice cream spoon, because it reminded me of her always having freezer burnt vanilla ice cream for me or whoever else.
In one of her jackets that I was given, I found a handwritten verse in her pocket that she must have carried everywhere with her. (I don't have this now because I gave it to my mother for comfort.)
Psalms 23:4-6
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
