My grandma is dying. She has ALS.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement... In ALS, nerve cells (neurons) waste away or die, and can no longer send messages to muscles. This eventually leads to muscle weakening, twitching, and an inability to move the arms, legs, and body. The condition slowly gets worse. When the muscles in the chest area stop working, it becomes hard or impossible to breathe on one's own... There is no known cure for ALS... Death often occurs within 3 - 5 years of diagnosis. (A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia)
She was diagnosed about 5 years ago. At this point, she has lost the ability to breathe on her own, and she has almost no movement of any part of her body.
She is the strongest, most dedicated and inspirational person I know. Her love and devotion to God is amazing. Every day, she has a nurse print out Bible verses from her computer, put them on a clipboard, and prop the clipboard up in her lap. She then spends most of the day memorizing as many verses as she can.
I don't want her to go...I love her so much. But I know that she's in pain and that she wants to go home...she wants to be with God.
My mom found this poem that she wrote when she went up and visited her this weekend...I love it.
The Love of God
Lord, I have felt thy love,
But when my body was well and strong
I always had to hurry along.
There were so many things to do
I had little time to think of you.
Lord, I have felt thy love,
As the bright, cold snow came from above
And covered ground, and tree, and shrub.
With the steps to sweep and paths to clear
Not much thought of thee this time of year.
Lord, I have felt thy love,
As I watched the miracle of spring,
Seeing the return of each new green thing.
Now with the grass to cut and more tasks for me
There's still little time to think of thee.
Lord, I have felt thy love,
In the sunshine of days of summer,
Busy with home and helping Mother,
Planning picnics and entertaining,
Still little time for just plain praying.
Lord, I have felt thy love,
As I go back to school in the fall
Trhilled with the excitement of it all.
With papers to correct and plans always due;
With meals to get and housework too,
There's time for a brief thank you to you.
Lord, I have felt thy love,
When my body was racked with pain,
I had time to pray, again and again.
The joy of it all You hear me still
And now I will try to know thy will;
And each day as I go my way
Lord, I feel thy love.