I'm sitting here in January- recovering from the holidays & looking out the gloomy window - and yet I am still enjoying fond memories of the best Christmas our family has ever had. My husband has 2 dying grandmas that live in Virginia that visited us for Christmas.
One is dying of 4th stage breast cancer with mets to the bone and had never been on a plane before. She is in SO MUCH pain but is so positive. She says, "I have lived a good long life". She never complains and really inspires me with her courage. Her doctors and family asked her in November what is the one thing she would like to do before she died. She said, "Well, I've never been on a plane before. I think I'd like to take a trip somewhere." She wasn't expected to live past Christmas initially, but with this goal in mind, she completed 8 radiation treatments to prolong her life a few more months. Then she boarded the plane and came to Utah. She loved the flight but was exhausted by the time she arrived.
The other grandma is very ill also. She has very fragile Diabetes and a long history of cardiac illness. She very likely will not live another year either. Recognizing she might never get the chance to come visit Salt Lake City, the headquarters of her church, she too wanted to come to Utah. So my cute hubby's parents brought both their aging mother's in wheel chairs clear across the United States to see their grandchildren and great grandchildren one last time.
We had so much fun visiting, playing games, telling stories, singing, and tuning out all the noise of the holidays. The important things were done early and the gifts all wrapped long before Christmas came. Basically we dropped everything and just spent loving moments with each other for a whole week, at home, before Christmas (I am crying right now just remembering the peace of it all).
One of the special Christmas gifts that we gave each of the grandmas was a "little piece of heaven" blanket with Jason's inspiring story. They loved the soft warm blankets and thought that it was such a treat! Like you Jason, both of these elderly ladies have endured a lot of pain and trials throughout their lives and yet have remained so positive and inspiring to others- especially to us.
I want to thank you, Jason, for your courage to stay positive, for helping all of us laugh a little bit more (Judy has told me stories of how grateful you are for little things like soup), and mostly for reminding my family to look outside of ourselves a little bit more. Next year our grandmas may not celebrate Christmas with us - but we will never forget the spirit of love they brought with them. Hopefully in their last days - as they snuggle in their warm blankets they will remember us and your story, and continue to smile in a courageous way! Thank you for sharing a "huge peace of heaven" with us! Now we really know what Christmas is all about.
One is dying of 4th stage breast cancer with mets to the bone and had never been on a plane before. She is in SO MUCH pain but is so positive. She says, "I have lived a good long life". She never complains and really inspires me with her courage. Her doctors and family asked her in November what is the one thing she would like to do before she died. She said, "Well, I've never been on a plane before. I think I'd like to take a trip somewhere." She wasn't expected to live past Christmas initially, but with this goal in mind, she completed 8 radiation treatments to prolong her life a few more months. Then she boarded the plane and came to Utah. She loved the flight but was exhausted by the time she arrived.
The other grandma is very ill also. She has very fragile Diabetes and a long history of cardiac illness. She very likely will not live another year either. Recognizing she might never get the chance to come visit Salt Lake City, the headquarters of her church, she too wanted to come to Utah. So my cute hubby's parents brought both their aging mother's in wheel chairs clear across the United States to see their grandchildren and great grandchildren one last time.
We had so much fun visiting, playing games, telling stories, singing, and tuning out all the noise of the holidays. The important things were done early and the gifts all wrapped long before Christmas came. Basically we dropped everything and just spent loving moments with each other for a whole week, at home, before Christmas (I am crying right now just remembering the peace of it all).
One of the special Christmas gifts that we gave each of the grandmas was a "little piece of heaven" blanket with Jason's inspiring story. They loved the soft warm blankets and thought that it was such a treat! Like you Jason, both of these elderly ladies have endured a lot of pain and trials throughout their lives and yet have remained so positive and inspiring to others- especially to us.
I want to thank you, Jason, for your courage to stay positive, for helping all of us laugh a little bit more (Judy has told me stories of how grateful you are for little things like soup), and mostly for reminding my family to look outside of ourselves a little bit more. Next year our grandmas may not celebrate Christmas with us - but we will never forget the spirit of love they brought with them. Hopefully in their last days - as they snuggle in their warm blankets they will remember us and your story, and continue to smile in a courageous way! Thank you for sharing a "huge peace of heaven" with us! Now we really know what Christmas is all about.
With much love & gratitude,
Jill Waldron, SLC, Utah.
Jill Waldron, SLC, Utah.
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