She will be missed...

On the weekend we were visiting with my dad, he received a phone call that would forever change our lives. My dad got a phone call from his sister, letting him know that his mom had suffered a heart attack. She was at the hospital and they would call as soon as they had more details. Devastated is the best way to describe how we were all feeling. I wanted more details. We just had to wait. My dad received random details throughout the day on the status of my grandmother. Casey and I had to head back to Raleigh. My dad was making plans to fly home. Everyone was in shock. After getting back to Raleigh, I was finally able to learn more details. My Aunt Shelli gave me the number to speak to my grandmother's nurse. I was told that my grandmother was at home when she started feeling "funny". She was able to make phone calls to my aunt and uncle...and then finally she called 911. When EMS got to her, she was unconscious. The did CPR all the way to the hospital. They got her back and then had to restart CPR in the emergency department. She was moved to the Intensive Care Unit, intubated and unconscious. She suffered a loss of oxygen to her brain. My grandmother was listed as a DNR prior to having her heart attack. She was on medication for her blood pressure and heart rate. She had my aunts, uncles, and cousins by her side. Long story short, my dad was flying home to Ohio as quickly as he could. After a lot of craziness at the airport, he made it to her hospital room in the middle of the night. The family was being told that there was nothing more that could be done. My dad, his sister, and his two brothers made the decision to take my grandmother off of life support. I'm sure, the hardest decision of their lives. My grandmother always said she just wanted to be with my grandpa again. She went to be with him very shortly after removing her from life support. My mom, the kids, and I made the drive to be with family the very next day. I had been planning to take my kids to Ohio this summer to visit family, my grandmother in particular. We talked on the phone and I sent pictures of the kids often. She was a sweet person who will be missed by many. I am positive that many people were able to make it through the weekend simply by being surrounded by family. It's amazing what having us all together can do for your spirit. My grandmother would have been so happy.