It started with a stroke on Mother's Day...my mother, Laura, auntie & I spent the day at the hospital with Gram. She was diagnosed with a tumor in her bile duct nearly a year ago and was given 3 to 6 months to live. She seemed fine...as much of a spit fire as she always was. It only happened after the stroke that she started to fail and the tumor spread to her pancreas. 
I am thankful for the Monday that I left work and spent the day with her. She let me record her with a voice recorder that I will always have. She talked about some of the things she wanted to "complete" or get "complete" before she died. She said that she was not afraid of dying. I cried and told her how much I loved her. As I'm hugging her and crying she said, "I don't know why you're crying...I'll see you on the other side some day".
I also have her and I saying, "Good bye" to each other as I walked out the door. I can even hear the screen door close. I will always have that...to listen to whenever I'm missing her and just wanting to "visit". It's a priceless CD! There's a silver lining in everything that happens with death...I got to see my cousin, Lloyd, whom I have not seen since 2001!!! We spent our summers out to camp with Gram and Gramp and were always close. It was beautiful to reconnect...with him and the entire family.
Gram, I hold you dear in my heart. I thank you endlessly for sticking up for me (no matter the circumstances), for loving me unconditionally and letting me love you...just as you are...crack and all. Peace & love! I hope you're having fun with Gramp!
For those of you who don't know, Gram was also known as "Crack Lady". She was known for being cantankerous and was known by that part of her expression by a lot of people. In a loving way, I would at times refer to her in person and to others as "Crack Lady". She knew when I said it what I meant...mostly that she was freaking out about something that would be forgotten by the next day or week. Often times she would smile and know she was being a "crack" about "some thing". There were also times when she didn't think it was so funny...even if she was being that way. All in all, it comes from love and appreciation for her entire being. The picture below is a replication of that way of being....as you can see, I'm sitting next to her laughing because I know she's heading into the "crack zone". Ha, ha, ha! That particular picture, she was sharing with my mother and the rest of us about how she always got punished for things she never did--and had just finished a story about George Thomas ratting her out. My mother paused mid story and remarked on Gram being punished for things she didn't do by saying, "I too was punished for things I didn't do"...they continued chatting and then I piped up and said, "Hey, me too". It was PRICELESS...three little "victims" in a peapod. We were all oblivious to to what was said until it got pointed out.
PITTSFIELD - Carlene Marie Jamieson, 80, died peacefully Friday, July 18, 2008, surrounded by her loving family at Sebasticook Valley Hospital, Pittsfield, after a period of ill health. She was born April 14, 1928, in Camden, daughter of Arthur and Katherine Grotton. Carlene worked for the Edwards Co., Pittsfield, as well as Pittsfield SAD No. 53, in the hot lunch program. She was a former attendee of St. Albans Union Church. She loved her family and enjoyed crocheting and baking, and was famous for her whoopie pies. Her favorite place was living on Big Indian Lake, St. Albans. Her favorite buddy in the whole world was her cat, Shadow. She is survived by her son, George Chapin Jr. and his wife, Patsy, of Waldoboro; her two daughters, Laureen Colby and her husband, Bill, of Hartland and Janice Frost and her husband, Tony, of Pittsfield; nine grandchildren, Jessica, Christopher, Samantha, Holly, Lloyd, Phillip, Tonya, Kari and Laura; and several great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, Lloyd Jamieson in 1985. At Carlene's request, a graveside service will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 22, at Village Cemetery, Cemetery Road, St. Albans, with the Rev. Lewis Bell officiating. Arrangements are entrusted to Shorey-Nichols Funeral Home, 191 Hartland Ave., Pittsfield. To leave a message of condolence for the family and to sign a guest book, please visit www.shoreynichols.com.
