She got angina a heart problem as a result of the diabetes. Her eyesight was also greatly reduced due to diabetes. She was legally blind and had to give up her drivers license in 1992. In 1990 her kidney function started to fail and she went on hem dialysis three times a week. She was hospitalized many times in January of 1997 and passed away February 14, 1997.

The month before she passed away she and my grandfather celebrated 50 years of marriage. Although diabetes put a strain on some of the things my grandmother could do in life, she still lived a long fulfilling life with six children and several grandchildren. She followed her diet, took her insulin shots and later in life went to dialysis almost everyday. I have childhood memories of her being really sick but mostly I have memories of a healthy, happy, sweet grandmother just like all other grandmothers are…only she was checking her blood sugar.