funk in deep freeze

Another death in my life… this time it was my great aunt. But it’s sad and it’s not at the same time. She was ready to go, ya know? She spent the last few months of her loooong life in a hospital bed, barely able to speak. It actually pained me more to see her like that, then to know that she was… well… wherever one goes when they pass.

You can see the rest of my Shreveport photos here. I didn’t photograph Birdie Lee because, well, I didn’t think it was appropriate, though, in hindsight, I kind of wish I did. All I have now are memories.

My favorite memory of that trip and of Aunt Birdie Lee was when we went to visit her in the hospital. We had heard that, aside from her NOT being dead, she was actually communicating and seemed to be doing better. Since she couldn’t speak, her only way of communicating was by raising her hands. So we’d ask her a question like, “Can you here me? If you can raise your hand.” And she’d raise one bony, trembling, little hand, which was pretty unbelievable. Out of excitment, my cousin Dana starting asking her all sorts of questions just to see her respond. It made us all happy. “Are you tired?” She’d raise her hand. “Are you thirsty?” She’d raise her hand. “Would you like some water?” She’d raise her hand. Then Dana asked, “Aunt Birdie Lee, would you like a glass of wine?” And she not only raised her hand, but she raised BOTH of her hands and held them both waaaaay up high. Everyone in the room started laughing hysterically through our tears. I love that she kept her wonderful sense of humor till the very end.

She was a great woman. She is and will be missed very much. I hope wherever she is now she’s not in pain anymore, and she has unlimited glasses of good wine and great company.