In Memory of My Nana

On this day I remember my Nana.

My Nana endured a long on and off battle with cancer (Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma) for the last several years of her life. September 26th, 2008 she was admitted to the hospital for a perforated colon. In addition to recovering from the surgeries that went along with it, she was given some grim news: the cancer she had been fighting on and off for nearly 10 years had returned in three different locations. This pushed her into severe depression and she tried to end her life by removing her oxygen tube. She went into cardiac arrest and came out with permanent brain damage. My dad and uncle had a decision to make, one that in a sense had somewhat been made for them, so they had her taken off life support.

At 10:05am on Thursday, October 23rd, 2008, Mae Assenza, my Nana, made the journey to heaven where she was reunited with her husband for the first time in 21 years for their 54th wedding anniversary. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful way to end her suffering.

Now one year later, it seems like it just happened. It’s really weird because I am now living in her house, and yet it doesn’t feel like I am; I guess that’s because the before and after are drastically different. I’ve been getting a lot of phone calls at the house lately from different charities and whatnot asking for my grandma, and it has made me so angry every time I’ve had to tell some, “Mae died A YEAR AGO!”

Today I’m going to her grave with my mom and sis. May she rest in peace. ♥