Grandma Mamie

On Saturday, December 4, 2010, my sweet little grandma passed away.  It's amazing, I can't believe how fast she was gone.  When she left Apple Village, she was doing so well.  She had three wonderful days at Legacy Village of Layton, but then they didn't care for her very well, and that was the beginning of the end.  We moved her to North Canyon Care Center in Bountiful on Nov. 9.  I've said this before, but I am so grateful that I was able to be with her as much as I was.  In the end, I was with her twice a day for many hours.  I couldn't bare to have her be alone.  Especially the last week of her life, I was there as much as possible.  We left her on Friday night, not even guessing that that was really going to be our last time to see her, alive.  We had asked them to call us, when the signs were getting closer together.  However, there wasn't time.  She had thrown up, and the nurse went out to get something to clean her up with, and returned 30 seconds later, and she was gone. 

Here's her obituary...
"Mamie Church 1915 ~ 2010 Mamie Price Church, 95, passed away on December 4, 2010 in Bountiful, Utah. She was born on October 1, 1915 in Midvale, Utah to Milan and Eva Derikrava Prica. Mamie married Dan Church on September 25, 1935 in Midvale, Utah. She loved cooking Sunday dinners for her family, gardening, crocheting and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her entire life was devoted to serving others. Mamie was baptized a member of the LDS Church at the age of 88 and loved her visiting teaching assignment. She was sealed to her family in the Jordan River Temple at the age of 90. Survived by her daughters, Darlene (Earl) Nelson; Colleen Nicholes; son, Max (Faye) Sluga; seven grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; siblings, Mitch (Norma) Price; Ann Theos; Amelia Price; Don Price; Ellen Parmley; many nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by her parents; husband, Dan Church; son-in-law, Sanford Ross Nicholes, Jr.; grandson, Russell Phipps; nine siblings. The family would like to thank the CNA's at Apple Village Assisted Living and the staff at North Canyon Care Center for their loving care. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 9, 2010 at the Midvale East 2nd Ward, 7250 S. 300 E. Friends may call one hour prior to the services. Interment, Midvale City Cemetery. www.goffmortuary.com "

I'm going to explain a little bit about her family listed in the obituary...  Grandma had two daughters, Darlene and my mom Colleen.  Max Sluga is actually her nephew on my grandpa Dan's side.  Grandma and Grandpa took care of Max a lot, when he was a kid, and he lived with them while he went to college.  In 2007, he was officially adopted into the Dan & Mamie Church family, as their son, and on the records of the church, he is listed as their son.  Grandma was thrilled when this happened, because she had always loved Max and knew that Grandpa did, as well.

My heart is broken, I miss her so much!  She is a major part of who I grew up to be.  I'm so glad I was able to have her so close, and be able to help her with anything she needed.  She devoted her life to serving family, friends, neighbors, and those who were in need.  She had to quit school in the 8th grade to raise her siblings, she babysat her great-grandchildren into her 90s.  When I grow up I want to be like her :)

Love you, Grandma Mamie!  I'll miss you forever!

I was reading in 3 Nephi the other day about the destruction that happened in the America's during the three days between Christ's crucifixion and resurrection.  Every time I've read this, I've read it at it's face value.  The people were destroyed, because of their wickedness.  However, this time, while I was reading, I had an overwhelming feeling of while the people in the Americas were being destroyed, the feeling of those people that were Jesus Christ's disciples in Jerusalem, what Mary, his mother, was feeling.  My testimony grew so much from my position on the Colonade, during The Savior of the World.  I'm so grateful that I was able to feel the powerful affirmation, once again, of His life and what He went through for me!

Update...

It's been a weird, rough month.  It's been extremely busy, extremely! 
We did get to participate in an amazing show!  We were part of Savior of the World.  I have to admit that the time commitment about killed me.  It kept getting bigger and longer daily.  I had a bad attitude for some of the rehearsals.  However, as the dress rehearsals and performances came, I loved it!  There was the greatest spirit there.  It was such a blessing to be touched by the spirit every time we sang the songs.  It was amazing to see how people in the audience were affected by it.
Grandma Mamie was kicked out of Apple Village, because she has become a two man transfer.  As we were looking for places to move her, we happened in at the new Legacy Village retirement center in Layton.  It was the same distance away as Apple Village.  It would be perfect!  We went in and talked to the director, after we explained the two man transfer thing, he said it sounded like it would work, and he'd send someone out to evaluate her.  This Tiffany, who is the marketing manager, came out and evaluated her.  After talking to Mom and the CNAs, she said there would be no problem.  She called the next day to say that she'd been approved by the directors of the facility.  So, we stopped looking.  Then they had their nurse, Kelly, come out and evaluate her and interview me and the CNAs.  She approved her.  That was on October 21st.  We moved her in on October 25th.  We got her there about 1:00 p.m., and by 7:00 p.m. they were saying "this is just not going to work.  we'll give it a few days, but she'll have to go."  Fan-freakin-tastic!  After Darlene spoke to her attorney, and then brought that up, they said they would give her a 30 day notice, which is the law.  They kept saying, "we're just concerned about what is best for Mamie."  Mom said, "No, you're not.  You were only concerned about having enough people here (they had to have 3 people before the health dept. will come out and evaluate them, before they can open.  Grandma was #2.)  This hasn't been about Mamie, it's been a business deal."  So, that's where we're at.  The one person there, that I actually can stand, but still don't know what part he had to play in this, has been "trying" to help us find somewhere to go.  All of his options were extremely pricey! 
Oh, Mom's car blew up while we were driving in it over UEA.  That was thrilling! 
Anyways, there's an update.  Busy and tramatic and annoying as it is!