Conor had always been close to his grandma and when she died he was devastated.

He was 19 at the time and a soldier in the U.S. Army. The woman had helped raise him and had spent every minute possible with him as he was growing up. He was the apple of her eye, her only grandchild and as Irish as they came. Irish families were very close knit.

Jo had rocked him to sleep when he was little and sang Irish lullabies to the boy child.

Their bond was true and deep always.

One day the old woman suddenly suffered a massive stroke and later at the hospital as her only daughter approached her bedside she no longer recognized Mary and pulled away.

Mary was an R.N. and so understood what was happening. She also realized that she needed to get Conor home to see his beloved grandma while there was still time.

After several strategically placed phone calls and with a lot of help from the American Red Cross her boy would soon be on his way home on emergency leave.

Before Conor arrived however her condition deteriorated rapidly. She began having seizures and then was diagnosed with spinal meningitis. All visitors would have to wear masks and gowns to prevent spreading of the disease. Now Jo was absolutely terrified of everyone who came to visit her. No one was recognizable through a mask and gown.

Mary suffered in silence. This was her mother and she was dying. Her only child was on his way home to say goodbye. The world seemed dark and cold.

Other family members came up to visit and to try to relieve Mary but she refused to leave her mother’s bedside.

“Mama needs me!” She cried.

Jo’s condition continued to deteriorate until Mary realized that it was time to let her go home to be with God in his heavens. Conor still wasn’t home and Jo couldn’t last much longer. She was suffering.

Mary leaned close to Jo’s ear and gently whispered as she stroked her mother’s longish white hair.

“Mama, it’s okay to let go…dad’s waiting in heaven for you…I’ll miss you terribly and I’ll always love you…but it’s okay to let go…”

Jo continued to hang on.

Word came back from Conor’s unit that he was undergoing tests that couldn’t be interrupted and he hadn’t been informed yet about his grandmother’s health crisis.