elaine alice

© Alyson Sharon Redding 2007

This is Gramma. My sweet, perfect, gorgeous, delightful Gramma. On Tuesday, she was admitted into the hospital after being deathly ill for a few days. She has pneumonia and it has been wracking her fragile, precious body. It was absolutely horrifying and heartbreaking to see her so ill, weak and helpless. My sister and I stayed the night in the hospital with her on Tuesday. I could not stand the thought of her being left alone in that dreadful room. It was a very bittersweet time. She kept slipping in and out of sleep, whispering the sweetest things, and sometimes silly things that had big tears streaming down my cheeks.

She is the epitome of sweetness, kindess, grace and generosity. She has given so much of herself to so many people in her lifetime, and has influenced who I am as a person in more ways than I can probably even identify myself. She is the heart and center of my family. If not for her, I would not know love or the grand gift of family. She is perfect.

I have spent hours in the hospital with her every day. Sometimes we talk, sometimes she rests. Sometimes I play with her hair or hold her hand. Sometimes I sit on the end of her bed and cuddle her legs. She is still weak and exhausted, but has not complained for a second. She smiles and laughs, tells stories and begs me for 'The Scoop' the second I walk into her room.

She lights up my life. I want to be just like her.


Please keep her in your thoughts & prayers. There are too many hearts that still need her.