Mary Louise McClendon, you were a great Grandma

I was my Grandma’s only girl and even though I wasn’t the best grand-kid to her, I was very special, and she was very special to me. She had 2 boys, and between them there were 2 grandsons and 1 granddaughter. We gave her 1 great-grandson and 2 great-granddaughters.

The month before my son was born (over 11 years ago), we didn’t think Grandma would be with us much longer. She had Parkinson’s and they hadn’t found a good mix of medication yet for her. She was in a nursing home and not doing well. We took pictures of her with my newborn son with the thought in the back of our head that she at least was able to hold her great-grandson before she died.

But then the right mix was found and she started getting better. She moved into an assisted living home. When my daughter was born we visited her there often. Then a couple of years later, she decided that she was tired of the people there and tired of having everyone trying to know everyone’s business, and moved back to her house.

Last year they found that Grandma was developing fibroids in her lungs. No cure, only treatment for symptoms. She was using a nebulizer with breathing treatments until a month or so ago and she moved to oxygen. The last few weeks she has been on oxygen full time.

Sunday, we were all down at my parents’ for my Mom’s and my daughter’s birthdays — Grandma’s birthday was in August too, but she wasn’t feeling up to coming over. So we all went down to her house and spent about an hour with her.

Grandma passed away yesterday afternoon. I love her so much, and I know she loved me just as much if not more.

She was the typical grandma — she let you do all the cool things parents aren’t allowed to — one time she took me to Tastee Freeze (the only restaraunt in town) to get me a milkshake. I wanted the large one. She asked once if I was sure that I wanted that much, and I assured her, oh yes. So she bought it for me knowing I’d get such a bellyache. And instead of saying “I told you so” took care of me and my silly belly.

Here’s a picture of her at our family vacation in 2006 with her 3 great-grandchildren. She loved the beach and loved Florida. She and my Grandpa almost moved down there when I was still in high school, but they could never decide on a good place to stay.