The Vest Family: Until We Meet Again

My Grandmother passed away June 3, 2012. As many of you know she had been in a lot of pain for awhile. She had to start using a walker at least a year ago, if not longer, to help her get around because of her pain. She had scoliosis and it was causing her body to lean sideways. This was causing her nerve endings to stretch and was shooting severe pain throughout her body. Her ribs were resting on her hip, that's how much this disease had effected her. In January she traveled to West for a surprise 80th birthday celebration. I was not able to go because I was so close to having Karsyn. That was her last trip. We made it to Abilene in March for Spring Break so that she could meet Karsyn. I am so thankful we had at least one visit that she was able to come over and visit, play with Karsyn and even hold her for a short time. During that time she had started having SEVERE pain and it got so bad shortly after our trip that Mom took her to the ER. After that ER trip it went down hill from there. They brought in a hospital bed and called hospice in. They had to load her up on TONS of pain medications. She was on morphine, methadone and a million other things. She was on so much that she was pretty out of it from this point on. She would come and go. There seemed to be a short window when she was able to talk and know what was going on when her pain meds started wearing off and before the pain was severe. Then the pain would be too much to handle and they'd give her more meds which would knock her back out. It was so sad to see and hear about.
We went back the beginning of April because we weren't sure that she was going to make it. Amazingly she pulled through. During that trip she was still in and out. She knew who we were and was able to talk some, although it was very slow and very quiet. She loved seeing the kids. She held tightly to Madison and Cooper's hands as they would stand beside her bed. She LOVED, LOVED, LOVED touching Karsyn's feet. She would ask us to put her feet closer so she could touch them. I desperately wanted her to know my sweet baby girl. She was so involved in Madison and Cooper's life that I wanted it to be the same with Karsyn. Although she'll never get to see her 1st birthday, I'm thankful for the short time she was able to spend with her.
Mom called me on May 31st and said they had given her 24 hours to live. That was my last day of school and I was supposed to work until 8pm. Thankfully my principal let me leave after the kids did (1:30). I rushed home and packed bags and Karsyn and I headed out that afternoon. Trent decided to stay back with Madison and Cooper and they planned to come in the morning. I got to town around 5 and she was in bad shape. She wasn't responsive. But I was so thankful she was still alive. That night each of us went in to say our goodbye. It was such an emotional time but I was able to tell her how much I loved her and how thankful I was that she was such an important part of my life. I thanked her for always being there for me-babysitting me when I was young. New Years Eve nights were the ones I remembered most, coming to all my sporting events, my graduations, my wedding, my kids birthday parties and the list goes on. I thanked her for loving me and my kids. I told her how much we would miss her and how much she was loved. I thanked her for being such a great example for me and our family. I was able to hug her and love on her for a few minutes. I never went back in after that.
She held on until Sunday morning and passed away around 8:15 Sunday morning. Although it was such a sad time for us. I know she's pain free and with her heavenly father. I know I'll see her again, like her tombstone says, "Until We Meet Again". I know that day will come and I can't wait.

I don't know why this is showing up red. I can't fix it and it's driving me crazy.

I've been trying to think of things that I don't want to forget about Grandmom. For my sake I want to post them so years from now I can look back and smile.

-She loved the Lord and never missed church. Even when she was sick at home she had people from her church coming over to pray with her. Sweet ladies brought communion to her. This brought her comfort in her last days.

-She loved her family. She wanted to be apart of everything even as she grew older and couldn't get around so well. It made it difficult at the time but looking back....she just wanted to be with us.

-She loved Aggie football. She probably knew more about them than some men.

-She wanted us to call her Grandmom, not Grandma. Unfortunately I think Grandma came out more often than Grandmom. Michael and I would call her Granny when we were younger, just to bug her.

-She came to EVERYTHING--basketball games, track meets, birthday parties, graduations, weddings, she came to visit anytime I was in town, my kids birthday parties.

-I remember staying with her on New Years and she's always given me a hard time because I never could stay awake until midnight.

-She would call us and leave 30 second to 1 or 2 minute voicemails. That may not seem long but that's a long voicemail. She'd have a conversation with herself on it, "Hey Courtney...I guess you're busy. You're probably picking up the kids. Or maybe you already have them and you're at home now making dinner...This would go on and on. At the time I remember getting frustrated sometimes but now this is one of the memories that makes me smile.

-She could eat like no other. She wasn't more than 100 lbs but she could eat.

-We went on several trips/vacations: Hilsboro/Waco, Horseshoe Bay, Colorado

-I remember playing with the blocks and climbing in the trees in her backyard when I was little

-She kept her back door locked so you couldn't come in onto the carpet. She kept a box in between her glass door and her front door so the sun wouldn't fade her door.

-Before her kids had her living room windows tinted she kept towels over her furniture so the sun wouldn't fade it.

-I used to wash her car in high school and she would always pay us with random amounts. It would be like 7.23 or 10.15. It was never the same and it was never a full dollar amount. To this day I don't know how she came up with what she paid us. That's something I wish I would have asked. :)

I'm thankful that I was able to grow up with her in my everyday life. I'm thankful I had a Grandmom that cared about knowing me and then knowing my kids. I love you Grandmom and I'll never forget you. I'll keep talking about you to my kids so that they never forget you or what you stood for.