One day,when I was very little,and nanna was still sick,nanna asked me and Cyers if we wanted to have a tea party!We both said YES!So we all went upstairs to get the fake tea party supplies,and nanna get a blanket.When we got outside,nanna laid out the blanket,and Cyers and me put to tea party supplies on the blanket.We had the best time!(Because we put real food and drinks in the fake plates and cups)This is my favorite memory when I was very little because,this is the only memory I still have when I was little.

Nanna had been battling with Hepatitis-C for more than 20 years.  She contracted this fatal disease during a blood transfusion after a hysterectomy operation.  In fact, the Hep-C strain was not even identified for several years after she contracted it.  Currently, Hepatitis is not curable and, ultimately, causes cirrhosis of the liver.  Over the years, Nanna became more tired and very weak.  Many days she would sleep for 10+ hours at a time!  Also, her weakened immune system made her highly susceptible to illness and infections.  Her health deteriorated very quickly this past month leaving her bedridden and on oxygen 24-7.  Fluid accumulating in her thoracic cavity was causing her right lung to collapse.  Also, Nanna ended up at the hospital almost every other day because breathing was so difficult.  To give her some relief, doctors would drain some of this fluid.  However, this was only a temporary fix.  The fluid would accumulate again quickly.  To avoid having to go to the hospital so often, doctors inserted a stint so a nurse could come to the house and drain the fluids three times a week.  On Wednesday, June 12th, Nanna was scheduled to talk with a doctor about finally being eligible for a liver transplant.  However, she learned that, due to her age, her weakened body, extremely low blood pressure, internal bleeding dangers, etc. she was not a viable candidate.  In essence, she would be too weak to survive that kind of operation.  This was very disheartening news, and I believe that Nanna had harbored a small hope for a successful transplant.  I am grateful to say that she was able to stay at home with her family where we could care for and spoil her in her last days.  She was in and out of it the last week or so, but at times she was lucid and aware of her surroundings.  Close to the end, she lost her appetite and ability to talk and struggled to breathe.  We just tried to make her as comfortable as we could.  We talked to her, read the bible, brushed her hair, brought her flowers, prayed for peace, and let her listen to her praise music.  She died in her sleep on Monday, June 17th, at about 3pm.  I am so thankful that she did not suffer long and we were able to say our goodbyes.  Nanna is now in heaven with her perfect body and figure!  Hopefully, Jesus let her keep her beautiful silver Nanna hair!  Can't wait to see her again when we get to heaven.

Ditated by Bella Pringle....Nanna used to tell me stories about how Papi got in trouble; It was a late night, Papi climbed out of the window. He went to one of his friends house and his friend opened the door and they both went to Papi's house. they were playing frisbee. Papi threw the frisbee onto the roof. Nanna heard a loud bang on the roof and ran outside to find Papi and his friend.

One time, Nicki, Nanna, and I were sitting in the living room and I wanted to have everyone "pitch ideas" for my fake business. It was about 3 o'clock in the morning, so we were all a bit delirious. Nanna instantly shouted, "Crack putty!" and the three of us died laughing! "You can use it in case you need to go to the bathroom but have no restroom! Or when you're tired of seeing other peoples' bums!"

This story was always one of my favorites told by Nanna.  As the story goes...Gramma Helen, Janice's mother, was shopping one day at a five and dime.  She was going about her shopping and she found a piece of material that she wanted to buy.  Like a lot of women, she threw the piece of fabric over her shoulder and continued to shop.  When she was done shopping, she went to the register, paid for her things and then got on the bus.  When she got home, she realized that the piece of material was still hanging on her shoulder.  She had forgotten all about it and had never paid for it!  Helen, according to Nanna, then said to herself, "Well, I'll be go to hell!  I never paid for this!"   Loosely, it's kind of like saying that you deserve to go to hell b/c you did something bad.  I don't remember if Gramma Helen ever went back to pay for the fabric, but this expression continued to be an inside joke for many years.  Nanna, too, had a habit of walking out of Wal-Mart with unpaid items (always unintentional, of course!).   She would always go back and pay for them, but I warned her that one day they were going to lock her up or ban her from the store, altogether.  "Well, I'll be go to hell!"  Please feel free to use this expression when the circumstances fit! 

Nanna always knew how to make you laugh!  (Not always intentionally!)  She liked her coffee----I should say, she liked her cream, because she usually had about 6 creams with her "coffee!"  I would joke and say, "Would you like a little coffee with your cream?"  Food was always a source of laughter with Nanna.  She loved her toast, too, with loads of butter.  I asked her about this tradition which she said started when she was a young girl.  Her mother, Helen, used to work every day during the week.  On these days, her dad wouldn't let the kids have toast for breakfast because it was "too messy."  (And because he was a grump!)  On Saturdays, however, when her mom was home, they would get to have toast.  So toast came to symbolize comfort, security, and the special times when mom was home.