In Loving Memory...

As I sit here typing this I am crying. We lost a dear resident this week. I think one of the hardest to date. She has lived at Arbor Village for nine years. She has always been there and is kind of a staple to the building. It is really hard to let go... even if I know she can see, hear, and dance again. It is still hard to not have her. So, I'll share some memories.

She is the most understanding and accepting person ever. She would always say, "That's okay!" If we did something that disappointing her (Kind of like disappointing a mom). There was one time she didn't tell me that. Because she had macular degeneration we typed to her on a laptop and it blew up big on a screen. Someone typed to her that I was getting married (I AM NOT!) and she was so upset. She worried for days! I think it was on a weekend so she didn't see me until Monday and she made it known to everyone that she wanted to see me. I went to type to her and she was so upset. We had a lengthy LENGTHY conversation about how I am too young to be married. She dais, "You have things to do, places to see!" She told me to wait until I was 29. So when everybody asks me when are you getting married... you now know where my answer comes from!!!

A lot of memories happened in front of the laptop. We talked about religion, politics, prejudices of the world. We usually agreed on everything. Our opinions were much the same (Well, except for religion!) We both agreed that as long as we loved our Lord, Jesus Christ, followed his teachings, prayed daily, loved our neighbors, and followed His teachings, we would be okay. She is definatley a Daughter of our Father in Heaven. My guardian angel. Which she gave me a couple years ago. A little cold and crystal angel that I see daily and think of her.

I helped her fill out her life story in front of the laptop. She told me she always anted to be a rockette. Something I never knew!!! So I imProxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0 ine her up in heaven doing those kicks!

Giving me advice about my parents moving to Chicago. She told me she would always be here to talk to whenever I missed them or felt lonely. I know she is still listening and my guardian angel now!!!

She always told me, "You have such a hard job!" She would always whisper JOB. To everyone even when she whispered it to Laurie (My work Mom!) Sunday in the hospital. She always worried about me at work. Always wanted to know if I was okay. If she could help me in anyway. She would bring me ziploc bags in hopes I could use them. I used the last this week.

When we bagged bean soup for the food bank she wanted to help so bad. I had to make up a job she could do. A job that wouldn't need hearing or sight. When the other residents would finish bagging the little bags, we would put them on a tray and take them to her who would then put them in a larger bag to transport. Sometimes we re-emptied the larger bags to keep her busy. She would count each bag she put in to make sure and give me a detailed account of how many we did.

One of the most positive experiences I had with her was this Sunday when myself, Laurie, Jessica and Malerie went to the hospital to visit her. We typed on her computer that Laura and Laurie were here and in a worn out little breather she said , "My Arbor Friends!" I started to cry. She gave us instructions. To fix the lights in the dining room... It was important to her that we do that for all the people with Macular Degeneration... so they could see better. She also instructed us when we have a Memorial Service for her at the village, she wanted us to serve Root Beer Floats. WE ARE TODAY! She also asked what we thought Heaven would be like.

This is a hard death, but very positive from all the experiences I have had with her.

She will truly be missed... but Heaven is gaining an angel. One of the best they could ever have!

I'll miss you Frannie!