Planning my next visit

Dear Family & Friends,
    Today I booked my next trip to see my Sissy. I am going to spend her birthday & Valentine's Day with her. When I spoke to her yesterday, I told her that over 3000 people have viewed the blog & are praying for her. She couldn't believe it. I told her that she is even on prayer lists in Costa Rica, the Netherlands, and Italy....just to name a few countries outside of the USA. She said, "Wow, really?" and then I could sense that she was trying to figure out the reason for all of these prayers.
    Kathleen explained to me that Stella does not remember the conversation we had with the doctor at Huntington Hospital in regards to Hospice being the next step & treatment no longer being an option for her. Kathleen thinks she doesn't realize the seriousness of her condition.
    It made sense to me. She was on heavy pain medication that day. She had major surgery a week before & it was a very traumatic experience to hear that news. Kathleen spoke to the Hospice nurse about how to approach this subject with Stella. The nurse said that when Stella is ready to talk about it or wants to ask a question, she will.
    I know that I was very fortunate to have spent so much time with Stella this past year and yet I can't imagine my life without her. When we were children, the seven years between us made it difficult to get along. Happily, we have become the best of friends in our adult life. We talk on the phone every, single day.We don't always agree on things, but we counted on each other for honesty. Stella was not afraid to tell me to be quiet. And, if we had an argument, we never let a day go by without saying we were sorry. I am the bossy sister...you all know that. I gave Stella daily advice on how to take better care of herself. This was the cause of many of our squabbles. She did things her way; rarely listened to my advice. That was something that drove me nuts. My advice was always from research I had done, doctors I spoke to, or just common sense. Sometimes it was like I was talking to a brick wall. I tried & tried to get her to drink more fluids, eat better, etc. She always told me she would try to do what I asked, but she rarely did. She is the Big Sister, I know. I began to figure out that she felt more in control of her life if she ignored what I was saying, but I kept trying.
    On Christmas Eve, I gave her a beautiful bird ornament I found in a Hallmark store that said, (no joke) "Listen to Grace". She laughed and couldn't believe that I found that in a store. Then she hugged me & told me that she would listen to me. She uses the phrase, "Listen to Grace" almost every time we talk now.
    Her last few days have been good , mostly. She has been sleeping through the night for the last few nights. That has eased my mind. She had a mild fever and a slight infection, but has gotten better. She hasn't eaten very much in the last few days, which is something the doctor said could happen. Overall, Kathleen feels she is doing quite well under the circumstances.
    I sincerely appreciate every call, email, Facebook message, text, etc. I am sorry if I haven't responded personally to each one. I also want to thank everyone for their continued prayers for Stella & our family. It is so wonderful to know that she is being prayed for by so many people. I am grateful to be able to share that with her. Thank you! xxxooo
Love, Grace