It has been so long since I've written - nearly 4 months! I was working in the garden this afternoon and felt an overwhelming need to process the latest experience. This time it is my mother-in-law, Gisela, who is passing from this life to the next. Hallack's mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2007 but she probably had it for several years before that. She has been living at home with Hal who had lots of support from Heidi and Hailey Thomassen. And now she's dying but it's the most delightful process. She is not in pain, just letting go, but with so much joy! Although she still can't get her words out clearly, she laughs freely and frequently. She did manage to clearly say "this is so exciting!" and that's exactly how I want to feel when I go. I've had the opportunity to sit with her and tell her how much she means to me. I sat on her bed and reminisced the many wonderful times we've had: from the first time I had dinner with the Greiders and she told me I couldn't be a good German girl if I didn't eat bread (no problem there!) to the trips to the Canadian San Juans on their boat. She made me feel welcome and loved from the beginning. I told her that Heidi and Hallack both have the best sense of humor and I credited her for that. We laughed together and we all see more of the old Gisela than we've seen in a long time. It hardly seems real that she's now leaving us and I'm sure that we'll have plenty of sadness when she's gone. For now, I'm so grateful for this final gift of dying like she lived - full of joy and giving to others.
