We got home from Boston on Sunday, September 30th.  My mom stayed an extra day so that we could spend time together.  We spent the day shopping and dragging Blake around with us.  He was a huge troooper.

Monday night we got a call that Travis' mom had been sent to Hutchinson Hospital again and his aunt indicated that we should go.

Tuesday morning, the 2nd of October I packed up the kids and we made the trip out to see her.  Her right lung had filled with fluid and her breath was labored.  Before we had gotten there they had drained 1.5 liters of fluid off of it.  While there we spent time with her and helped out where we could.

It was hard seeing her because she had really declined a lot since the last time we had seen her.  I called Travis and told him that he should make the trip to see her so he got in late Tuesday afternoon.

Wednesday morning Travis and I were able to talk to the Oncologist first time.  He indicated that if we could get the lung under control she still would have 3 weeks to 3 months to live.  He admitted that she probably wouldn't be strong enough to receive chemo.

That day the kids and I left to go back home as there wasn't much we could do and Samantha needed to get back to school.  Travis stayed the day but left late that evening to go to some meetings in Wichita.

Travis went back to the hospital Friday after his meetings to spend the weekend with Linda. He called me while I was in church Sabbath and said that the doctor just came in and said that she only had 3-4 weeks to live.

We had talked with Linda and Willard that we thought it was time that they move in with us as that was always the plan and they agreed that it was time.  I contacted a hospice company here in KC to begin setting things up to move her to our house.  We were going to finalize things Monday morning.

Monday morning I got a phone call from her social worker and she said that she didn't think Linda would survive the ride to our house even being transported via ambulance.  I called Travis and talked about it and we thought we'd have to move her to the hospice in Hutchinson.  By the time Travis called the social worker back the doctor was in the room and he was able to talk with him.  It was at that time that the doctor told us she wouldn't make it though the day or the next.

Travis wrapped up a couple of things at work and I started packing for him.  I called my parents and they said my mom could be on the road in an hour if I could find someone to watch the kids until she got here.  If it all worked out, I could go with Travis.

I called our friend Melody who had offered her services before and she agreed to come get Blake right away then pick up Samantha from school and keep them until my mom got here.

I threw some clothes in a bag and we left for Hutchinson.

When we got to the hospital a lot of Travis's family was already there.  We are blessed that he had such a close and loving family!  She had really been looking forward to Travis coming and once we got there she said a few words.  I told her that the kids loved her and she said, "I love them too." which I believe were her last words.

Travis really never left her side the entire time and she passed away peacefully as possible at 12:45 Tuesday morning, October 9.  I was there a long with Travis, Willard and Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Cheryl.

My poor mom had to tell the kids that there Grandma had passed away and they cried and wanted to sit on her lap one more time and go for a wagon ride just one more time.

As hard as it is to loose her we are so glad that she is no longer suffering.  It would have been terribly difficult to see her struggling for much longer.

My parents were amazing throughout the whole ordeal.  They went way and above the call of a parental duties.  My dad came down and picked up my mom and they attended the funeral for Linda.

Our hearts still break for our loss but we have the promise that God will come back and rise up all those that are sleeping.