I'M SAD TODAY

Yesterday, my little 86-year old neighbor, Irene, passed away. She's had heart trouble for a couple of years, in & out of the hospital with congestive heart failure, etc. But, just in the last four months, she's gone down hill really fast. Irene started getting dementia which progressed quickly. She did some goofy things while still at home that caused us all to worry about her living alone. She didn't have any kids but was close to her niece Carla, so Carla took her home to live with her family last month. I immediately missed her because I used to see her every day when I took her mail to her, fixed her medication box, helped her around the house, & just visited with her. I went to see her a couple of times at Carla's & she was getting pretty frail. The other day, Carla's daughter called me & told me that Irene probably wouldn't be around much longer according to the Hospice nurses. I quickly went over to visit & she was so deeply asleep that she didn't wake up at all. I held her hand & told her I was there & she scrunched her eyes a little, moved just a bit, breathed heavier & I got the feeling she "knew" I was there. Carla told me that Irene had been arguing with people that had already "passed on" for the last week & chewing them out because they wouldn't answer her. Then, she would look off to the side, not focusing on what was going on around her. Carla asked her what was going on & when she finally replied, Irene told her that her Mom & Dad were standing at the door asking her to come with them & that they wouldn't come to her. Carla told her that next time they came for her, that she should go. She said, "Okay," & tried to get out of bed. You just knew she was ready to go. Even though I knew it was Irene's time to go & that she would be much better off where she was going to, it made me sad when it finally happened. Now my "listener" & friend is in a better place, but I miss her. I know I'll see her again & just want to say, "Irene, I miss & love you."