What a difference a week makes.

We lost Aunt Marge last week. She had fallen and hit her head, causing a subdural hemotoma. Initially she showed progress but then had to have surgery. I'm sorry to say that despite all best efforts and family by her side, she simply never woke up after surgery. She passed without pain just napping away. A very peaceful passing. Rest in Peace Aunt Marge, we all miss you but are pretty sure that they just needed a warmhearted teaching nurse with a side order of silliness up there.
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Aunt Marge and the long wonderful life of the Eepie Chooie Oowie Wow Kid

I've been looking through pictures from family gatherings and looking for pics of Aunt Marge, and the one thing that keeps striking me is how many of the pics are not of her smiling as much as of her "questioning" with a curious, puzzled look on her face.  There are pics of her smiling, don't get me wrong, but our family is a bunch of tough nuts to crack when it's photo time. 

For a person with so much inquisitiveness, the fact that she remained so gentle is amazing. Many, maybe most people who question much of the world turn out to be not only skeptical, but cynical.  Her questioning was always just a desire to understand more, with no strings attached. The cynicism never happened with Marge. I can't remember her ever having a cross word for anyone, whether they deserved it or not. 

We would talk about our shared frustration with the care of mom, and while being on the same page with me in so many areas, she always came back to what can we do to positively move the situation forward.

My ability to remain sane in the face of continued adversity was helped over and over by our talks in person and on the phone. Her insights will be sorely missed. Her warmth is irreplaceable.

Speaking with her littlest brother the other night he wondered if her mom would be waiting for her up there. I say no doubt. Marge will have a first class ticket straight up simply based on her kind soul. We all have experienced the incredible kindness of the nurses, doctors, staff at care centers, from hospitals, SNF's, and nursing homes. They already have their reservations and first class tickets, and apparently they needed a nice teaching nurse named Marjorie Ruth up there as well.  God Speed Marge B, God Speed.