Missing a Great Women

My family and I have had a very long weekend. On Thursday night around 10 pm my mom called me and told me that my Grandmother Klue had been airlifted from Cotton Plant to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo and was non-responsive. The events leading up to this was quite normal: Mamaw Klue canned her tomatoes on Wednesday afternoon before church, spoke in her church business meeting and said goodbye to everyone in the parking lot. The next day Papaw Dank and her did there usual Thursday morning grocery shopping, stopped by her sister Ann's house and dropped off some tomatoes and chatted for a second and then came on home. Once they got home and began unloading their grocery's, Papaw Dank noticed that Mamaw Klue hadn't come back so he went to check on her and she was laying in the bed and told him she just didn't feel good. He finished unloading the grocery's and let her lay down for a while. Later on she threw-up and he cleaned her up and she laid back down. Later when he went back to check on her he couldn't get her up so he called my dad to come up there. Once mom & dad got there they called the ambulance once the ambulance got there they said she needed to go to Tupelo or Memphis, they called a helicopter that came out of Corinth and took her to Tupelo. Mom called me back about 12:30 am and said that she had, had a stroke that had thrown a blood clot to her brain and that there wasn't anything for them to do, due to the fact of her age and if they did do surgery she would more than likely be a vegetable. Mom called me back at 1:45 and told me that they were getting ready to move mamaw to CCU and in CCU you can only see them every 3-4 hours and we weren't sure she was going to even make it thru the night. I asked mom if I left New Albany right then if I could see her before she got back there. They told me yes and I hit the door running and Jason stayed home with the boys.

By morning we had got in-touch with the rest of the family and everyone was in route to NEMMC, Tupelo.

Once I saw her I just couldn't believe it, I talked to her about everything that night/morning just like we always had. I know that she could here me because I would see her toes move when I or Papaw would talked to her. Over the next couple of day, her toes moved less and less, but I know exactly when she went to be with the Lord. All of the family had been around her to say our goodbyes and we were waiting on the doctor to come back and remove the ventilator, some of the family had stepped outside the door and a emergency had come through so they had to be moved back into the waiting area. Papaw Dank, Mom, Ron (grandson) & myself were all in the room and Papaw Dank tucked her in all the way up to her neck to keep her warm and kissed her and said, "I LOVE YOU KLUE", she kicked her feet and Ron & I looked at each other like did you see that. After that she never moved again. I truly believe that that was her way of saying goodbye.

For those of you who knew my grandmother you know what a wonderful blessing it was to have her in your life. She always had a smile on her face and was always laughing. I don't think anyone has ever said a harsh word about her, she was just that good of a good ole gal. She loved her family more than anything in the world, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Mamaw Klue was one of the finest cooks out there, I'm going to miss her black-eyed peas, chicken-n-dressing and caramel cakes (world's finest). Hopefully, I can figure out how to cook them like her. (I'm going to try!)

Thanks to everyone for there prayers and loving support they have shown my family during this hard time. We have lost a major piece of our family that can never be replaced. The only peace I have about this is that I "KNOW" that she is in the presence of the Lord. My grandmother was a very christian lady who loved Lord with all of her heart and taught her family to love the Lord. Please continue to pray for my family, especially my Papaw Dank that he can find peace without her. Thanks Again!

Obituary for Grandmother:

COTTON PLANT – Ilena Klue Barkley Medlin, 81, died Saturday, July 17, 2010, at the Northeast Mississippi Medical Center. She was born Dec. 2, 1928, at her home in Cotton Plant.

Services will be at 2 p.m Monday at Academy Baptist Church in Blue Mountain. Burial will be in Academy Cemetery. United Funeral Services of New Albany is in charge of arrangements.

She is survived by her husband of 63 years, James E. Medlin "Dank" of Cotton Plant; three sons, Dr. James R. Medlin (Vickey) of Starkville, Terry Medlin (Sharon) of New Albany and Dr. Greg Medlin of Rochester Hills, MI.; five grandchildren, Ron Medlin of Atlanta, Emily Medlin Roberts (Jason) of New Albany, Tyne Gann of Starkville and Matthew and Cassidy Medlin of Rochester Hills, MI.; two great-grandchildren, Ben and Colton Roberts of New Albany; and one sister, Ann Hickey of New Albany.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Claude W. and Sallie Barkley; one son, Larry Medlin; one granddaughter, Dixie Medlin; three sisters, Cleo Pennebaker, Juanita Hill and Maxine Lancaster; and one brother, Jimmy Barkley.

Pallbearers will be friends & family

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home and from 1 p.m. until service time Monday at the church.

Here are some photos of my Mamaw Klue: