My Grandma's Trials (Her battle with Stroke)
by Ricky Doc Sauceda
(For Juana Soto Lizzardi, 1911-1993)
Matthew 25:21 - 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
My Grandma Janie was a "tough as nails" type. She was also very God-fearing and very hard working. She kept a clean home and always prepared a meal for me when I visited her.
As a young boy she disciplined me. She did not do this with my other cousins. My momma did not like or understand that. When I was getting disciplined, I didn't like it either. Who would?
As I reached my late teen years, I found the Lord and gave myself to Him. I truly became a Christian. Grandma noticed this in me and it brought us close together. She began to call me up to assist her with personal things.
She needed me to travel with her from Houston to Palestine - to pick up my Uncle Charlie from Tennessee Colony . This was a minimum security prison outside of Palestine. Grandma and me reached our destination around 4'o'clock in the afternoon. It was a hot, clear and sunny day.
We stopped at an old fashioned country store. She purchased freshly sliced deli meats (bologna and hog's head cheese) and freshly sliced american cheese, bread, chips and drinks for us. We waited in my car from late afternoon until midnight. That is when my Uncle was released.
We spent our time talking about a lot of things. I had never eaten freshly sliced meat and cheese before. It was amazing to taste...still is. I had never eaten hog's head cheese before which is also amazing. I had a good time talking to my Grandma.
We drove back and stopped in Conroe to rest. In the morning we traveled to her home in Humble. I shared this just to give an example of how loving she was. Of all of her grandsons she relied upon me to drive and wait for a long period of time with her. I did not complain and she knew that I wouldn't.
Within a few years I started a family of my own and gave her three grandchildren to love. She did. My older two, Ricky Jr and Theresa received love and kindness from her and recall her very fondly. Later my youngest was born, Christopher.
Christopher came out fair skinned like my momma...like her daddy. Chris had blonde hair and blue eyes as well. When Grandma saw him for the first time, she trembled and gently started crying. She said,"It's true. They come back to you. He looks just like your Grandpa." (Grandpa died when my momma was nine years old)
She was so excited that she made him a baby blanket in a matter of days. She only did it every now and then, and none of my sisters received one from her. Only my cousin Julie...until Chris was born. She usually did it as a project and it usually took about a month or so to complete. I know this because I lived with her for a little while after I was married and witnessed this.
My strong and independent Grandma suffered a stroke in her home in Raymondville - my momma's hometown. We traveled to visit with her. She said that she felt odd and soon was stricken with paralyzing pain. She refused to accept it and fought it off. Her very words.
She then called my Uncle there and he took her to an emergency room where they diagnosed with her with Stroke. She was prescribed a myriad of pills to take throughout each day. My Uncle designed a poster sized chart for her to go by. She did not become paralyzed or suffer facial disfigurement.
She was different though. For the first time in her life she was weak. She did not like that. Although thin she would also acquire adult onset Diabetes Type II. She lived until around 1993. I was just about to send her pictures of Ricky Jr and Teri from their youth football league. He was a football player and she was on the drill team for the South Houston Wildcats and Rythmettes.
She was back in Houston living with an Aunt in Humble. She had lost her balance and fell. She suffered a fractured leg. While being treated for the fracture, she began to have complications of some kind. She was hospitalized and died there. Uncle Charlie and Aunt Carmen had preceded her in death due to a bar fight and breast cancer.
My strong and independent Grandma finally met her loving Lord. It was a very sad time for my family. We lost the family matron...our leader of faith and love. She lives in the hearts and minds of her family.
I am glad that I had such a strong and wonderful woman as my Grandma. I was blessed by the Lord to have her in my life. She is still an inspiration to me.