Loss

February 15 at around 8:30 p.m. my Great Aunt Maxine passed away at 55 years old.  She was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis over 12 years ago and fought every day after that.  The past 8 years or so she has slowly lost who she was.  By the end she wasn't able to walk and barely able to function most of her body.  


She was strong throughout the whole disease though.  Every time anyone visited her she had a huge smile on her face and wanted to hear about what was going on in your life.  Now that I think about it I never once heard from any of my family say that she complained.  I know that if it were me I probably would have been complaining a lot.

On Sunday,  my Mema called me and told me that my aunt had taken a turn for the worse and asked if someone could come get my little brother.  She needed to go to the hospital to see her sister.  I couldn't blame her at all so even though I had plans I knew that I had to delay them.  I decided that after the wedding reception I was about to go to that I was going to suck it up and go see my aunt.  I had put off seeing her because I wanted to remember her the way I saw her last.  She was talking and telling jokes.  At this point she was sleeping and did until she passed.  I knew I wanted to say goodbye and didn't know what to expect.  I will never get the image out of my mind but I will also never forget the good memories of her either.

Wednesday the doctors told us that she had 24 hours left.  I went with my Mema (even though she had basically lived there since Sunday) to be her support to see my aunt for the last time.  It was hard but I am glad that I got to say goodbye to such a strong woman.


The funeral is Monday or Tuesday but I like to think of it as a celebration of her life and not the mourning of her death.