Today would have been my grandmother’s birthday. She was born January 25, 1907. She would have been 100 today were she still alive. She passed away December 5, 1995. I miss her greatly. She and my grandfather raised me from the time I was 6 months old. I am grateful for my grandparents. My grandmother had been in a coma for a week on the day she died. I spent the entire day with her on her last day on earth. She may have been in a coma and paralyzed from the stroke she had which put her in the coma, but I knew she heard me on that last day. I spent that day alone with her talking to her, stroking her hand, smoothing her hair, kissing her weathered cheek. Several times she grunted and once she actually turned over as she tried hard to speak. The doctor said it was impossible for her to have done that but both the nurse and myself saw it. The nurse told me that she was trying to talk to me and that she believed people in comas hear our words. At the end of the day I told my grandmother I loved her and I was grateful for all she had done for me throughout my life. I kissed her goodbye and told her to pass on. Then I walked out of the hospital never to see my dear grandmother again. Several hours later and my husband and I were on the road, making the 700 mile trek back to Indiana, my grandmother died. I knew she would. She wanted to wait to pass until I was gone. She didn’t want to put me through that. I have always been grateful that I was able to spend my grandmothers last day on earth with her. Happy Birthday Grandmom.

Today was also my first smoke free day when I quite smoking in 2002. I had my last cigarette January 24, 2002 at 11:25PM. Some days I miss it greatly. I have never regretted quitting smoking, even though I chunked on a few pounds from the process. Life should be full of days that you don’t regret. I wish I had more days that I don’t regret.