Mamatoo in the Hospital

My maternal grandmother passed away in March 1986.

My maternal grandmother was admitted to the hospital (military hospital at Keesler AFB in Biloxi) on February 14, 1986. My Mom stayed with Mamatoo the month she was in the hospital. Daddy drove me to Biloxi on the weekends to visit Mom and Mamatoo during this time.

On one of the visits, one of the doctors was in the waiting room explaining to us (I believe my aunt, uncle and cousins were there with Mom and Dad and myself) how much blood my grandmother had vomited up during the previous night (a large amount). One second I am listening to the doctor talk and the next, I am laying on the ground with everyone standing over me. The first thing I remember hearing was the doctor saying, "Just let her lay there, she will be OK in a few minutes".

Going in to see Mamatoo was very difficult. To see her laying there with all those tubes attached everywhere and the machines beeping. She had a tube going down her throat, so she couldn't talk. Her eyes looked so sad. Her hands were so swollen and puffy.

On one of the visits, Mom showed us the room she was staying in at the Base Guest House. It was really nice. She then took us on a tour of the base. A bowling alley, restaurants here and there, various parks. Everything was so nice and so clean!

On another visit, we all went to eat dinner at Shoney's. I thought it was really cool that there was a restaurant right on the beach. After we had finished dining, we went for a walk along the shore.