I'm finally updating my blog. This is something I've wanted to blog about for the last couple of weeks and keep putting it off. I'm glad to finally get the chance to do it without making excuses. 
My grandpa, Earl LeRoy Jorgensen, passed away last Sunday January 17, 2010. He died in his home with my Grandma Gerry at his side. He has been sick for most of his life. He started a battle with cancer a couple of years ago and told the doctors he did not want any therapy or treatment. A few months later, the doctors told him that they could no longer see the cancer in his body. He then took my grandma through the temple to be sealed for her for time and all eternity, a day that I will never forget! A couple weeks before Christmas this last year, he started to get a lot of cramps in his stomach and did not feel good. Grandma took him to the ER where they ran some tests and sent him home. The next day, he got a phone call from his doctor that the tests they ran showed that he had about half of the blood supply in his body than he should and he needed to check into the hospital first thing the next morning. He went to the hospital and they said they needed to hydrate him and get his pain under control. I'm not exactly sure which day this was but I think it was January 12th, the day before my birthday. They began to hydrate him and eventually told him that his cancer was back and that it was spreading very rapidly through his body. The doctor told him that he had about 2 months to live. On Thursday January 14th, his body started going into convulsions. My mom got a call from my uncle Kirk saying that he was going fast so my mom's friend Teresa rushed her to the Brigham Hospital where Grandpa was. I was at work that day and got a phone call around 10:00am from Teresa with the news. I couldn't keep my emotions under control and was at work 2 hours away from Grandpa. Eventually, I decided my best option would to just leave work and go to Brigham. So, I left work and rushed to see him as soon as I could. I cried myself all the way to Brigham thinking about the last time I told him that I loved him or the last time I kissed his cheek or the last time that I spent time with him. I realized it was not long before this time but that I wished I had done it more often. I wished I had been around to spend more time and learn more things about his life. And I couldn't believe that this was it! He had been a fighter his entire life and worked for everything that he had. How could such a great person be going through so much?? How could God take away this Hero?? After FINALLY getting to the hospital we transported Grandpa home because he could not stay there for another night due to insurance and finances. My mom's entire family met up at Grandpa's to see him, even though he was basically in a coma from the convulsions and cancer. Friday, me and mom went to Grandpa's to help Grandma clean and cook and just to be with them both. The hospice nurse came to the house to give him a bath and my mom attempted to shave his face. She did a horrible job but she had the most loving look in her eye as she did this. She loved her dad so much! He was such a great dad to her and was always so protective and loving. Grandpa slowly started to get worse as the days went by. His breathing slowed down a lot and organs started to shut down. I couldn't really take it anymore. I couldn't see him in so much pain. Dave and I drove home on Saturday night. I then got a text the next day from my mom that he had passed around 10am. My grandma told me that she really wanted him to go the same way that her mom did, and that was privately, just her and her mom while they were holding hands. Grandma says that that's the same way Grandpa went. They were married 54 years and got married when they were 16 and 17! Wow, they were so in love! I know I'm rambling on and I know most people won't read all of this but I just had to get my thoughts and feelings out. The funeral services were held Friday, January 22 at the Honeyville church and cemetery. Grandpa was in the Navy most of his life and so there were Military men everywhere. They were even standing on each end of Grandpa's casket. Grandma asked me to the play the piano so I practiced all week so that I could play for my Grandpa. I did an okay job but had a hard time keeping my emotions in so it was hard to read my music. I played a medley of"I Know That My Redeemer Lives" "I Believe In Christ" and "Reedemer of Israel". I know my Grandpa was proud of me and that he was up there laughing and smiling the whole time. Grandpa had so many great qualities about him. He was brave, smart, funny, sarcastic, loving, spiritual etc. He struggled his whole life with drinking and smoking but was always a good example about everything else. He believed in honesty and integrity. He taught me about hard work and how to earn all of things that I have. He taught me to mow the grass with a riding lawn mower and how to grow a garden. He ALWAYS made sure that we were safe when we were with him or around the farm animals. If we got too close to the campfire, he'd yell at us to back off so our butt's wouldn't start on fire. He would hold onto us when the big horses were around so they couldn't kick us. He would take us camping in the Uintahs and teach us how to fish. He was the greatest Grandpa and I'm so thankful for all that he has done for me and for my family. He will be missed more than anything in the entire world but I KNOW that Heavenly Father took him because he had a much better place for him! Love you Grandpa LeRoy! 
21 Gun Salute! 
My grandpa, Earl LeRoy Jorgensen, passed away last Sunday January 17, 2010. He died in his home with my Grandma Gerry at his side. He has been sick for most of his life. He started a battle with cancer a couple of years ago and told the doctors he did not want any therapy or treatment. A few months later, the doctors told him that they could no longer see the cancer in his body. He then took my grandma through the temple to be sealed for her for time and all eternity, a day that I will never forget! A couple weeks before Christmas this last year, he started to get a lot of cramps in his stomach and did not feel good. Grandma took him to the ER where they ran some tests and sent him home. The next day, he got a phone call from his doctor that the tests they ran showed that he had about half of the blood supply in his body than he should and he needed to check into the hospital first thing the next morning. He went to the hospital and they said they needed to hydrate him and get his pain under control. I'm not exactly sure which day this was but I think it was January 12th, the day before my birthday. They began to hydrate him and eventually told him that his cancer was back and that it was spreading very rapidly through his body. The doctor told him that he had about 2 months to live. On Thursday January 14th, his body started going into convulsions. My mom got a call from my uncle Kirk saying that he was going fast so my mom's friend Teresa rushed her to the Brigham Hospital where Grandpa was. I was at work that day and got a phone call around 10:00am from Teresa with the news. I couldn't keep my emotions under control and was at work 2 hours away from Grandpa. Eventually, I decided my best option would to just leave work and go to Brigham. So, I left work and rushed to see him as soon as I could. I cried myself all the way to Brigham thinking about the last time I told him that I loved him or the last time I kissed his cheek or the last time that I spent time with him. I realized it was not long before this time but that I wished I had done it more often. I wished I had been around to spend more time and learn more things about his life. And I couldn't believe that this was it! He had been a fighter his entire life and worked for everything that he had. How could such a great person be going through so much?? How could God take away this Hero?? After FINALLY getting to the hospital we transported Grandpa home because he could not stay there for another night due to insurance and finances. My mom's entire family met up at Grandpa's to see him, even though he was basically in a coma from the convulsions and cancer. Friday, me and mom went to Grandpa's to help Grandma clean and cook and just to be with them both. The hospice nurse came to the house to give him a bath and my mom attempted to shave his face. She did a horrible job but she had the most loving look in her eye as she did this. She loved her dad so much! He was such a great dad to her and was always so protective and loving. Grandpa slowly started to get worse as the days went by. His breathing slowed down a lot and organs started to shut down. I couldn't really take it anymore. I couldn't see him in so much pain. Dave and I drove home on Saturday night. I then got a text the next day from my mom that he had passed around 10am. My grandma told me that she really wanted him to go the same way that her mom did, and that was privately, just her and her mom while they were holding hands. Grandma says that that's the same way Grandpa went. They were married 54 years and got married when they were 16 and 17! Wow, they were so in love! I know I'm rambling on and I know most people won't read all of this but I just had to get my thoughts and feelings out. The funeral services were held Friday, January 22 at the Honeyville church and cemetery. Grandpa was in the Navy most of his life and so there were Military men everywhere. They were even standing on each end of Grandpa's casket. Grandma asked me to the play the piano so I practiced all week so that I could play for my Grandpa. I did an okay job but had a hard time keeping my emotions in so it was hard to read my music. I played a medley of"I Know That My Redeemer Lives" "I Believe In Christ" and "Reedemer of Israel". I know my Grandpa was proud of me and that he was up there laughing and smiling the whole time. Grandpa had so many great qualities about him. He was brave, smart, funny, sarcastic, loving, spiritual etc. He struggled his whole life with drinking and smoking but was always a good example about everything else. He believed in honesty and integrity. He taught me about hard work and how to earn all of things that I have. He taught me to mow the grass with a riding lawn mower and how to grow a garden. He ALWAYS made sure that we were safe when we were with him or around the farm animals. If we got too close to the campfire, he'd yell at us to back off so our butt's wouldn't start on fire. He would hold onto us when the big horses were around so they couldn't kick us. He would take us camping in the Uintahs and teach us how to fish. He was the greatest Grandpa and I'm so thankful for all that he has done for me and for my family. He will be missed more than anything in the entire world but I KNOW that Heavenly Father took him because he had a much better place for him! Love you Grandpa LeRoy! 21 Gun Salute! 
2 comments:
Kalei, I am so sorry for your loss. They announced it at my church they Sunday after he passed away. I know my grandma feels awful and if grandma Jerry needs a day out of the house you tell her to call my grandma and they can go make crafts of something. I hope you are doing well. :)
Hey I'm sorry to hear about your Grandpa. It's always hard to loose someone, I can't even imagine loosing a grandparent at this point. Let me know if I can do anything!
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