Kicking cancer's ass - day 1623

Trudy Lee (Koyon) Grant 
August 10, 1972 - February 4, 2018

When I wrote my latest blog post in the wee hours of the morning on Feb 4th, I knew.  Even though I hadn't been told, hadn't received the phone call or text, I knew.  God was getting ready to call Trudy home.

I couldn't sleep.  I finally made myself go to bed at 3:15am, and I was awake when I got the text from her husband at 6:05am.

I am forever grateful for the time I spent with Trudy last week.  Even though it was so difficult, seeing her so weak and sick, I wouldn't trade those moments for anything.  I wish I could write a beautiful tribute worthy of her, but for once, words are failing me.

Did you know that the name Trudy means "universal strength"?

How fitting.  No matter what life threw at her, she handled it with grace and strength.  Military life with multiple moves and a husband that was gone more than at home, difficult pregnancies, cervical cancer, lymphedema, her sister's heart attack, breast cancer, losing her mother to breast cancer..... Trudy never complained.  Never asked why.  She just kept on keeping on, making the best of whatever she had, and always looking on the bright side.

I'm not waxing poetic because she is gone.  I would have said (and have said) these same things about her while she was alive.  Nobody ever said anything bad about Trudy, because what could they say?  She was a loving, supportive, forgiving wife.  She was the most incredible and inspiring mother.  (Really, she puts us all to shame)  She was the friend I wish everyone could have.

I met Trudy on the first day of seventh grade.  That was in September of 1984.  There are friends who have known her longer, but I'll go out on a limb and say there's no one who has known her better for most of her life.  Whether we were inseparable in high school or spent two years without seeing each other, we could always, always pick up right where we left off.  As if no time at all had passed.  In all of the years we lived away from each other as adults, I can probably count on one hand the number of phone conversations we've had that lasted less than two hours.  It's kinda funny (but not really), but we couldn't even do breast cancer alone.  A year and a half after she got sick, I received the exact same diagnosis, and had the same treatment and surgeries. Crazy, huh?
We've shared love and heartache, fun and excitement, laughter and tears.

For me, Trudy was the one who I could just be myself with.  She never expected more than what I was, and she loved me for who I am.  I could tell her all my secrets and she could share hers with me.  So many important moments in my life.... and Trudy was a part of all of them.

There is no way a few pictures and some heartfelt words can properly express how much she means to me, and how much I will miss her for the rest of my life.  I've lost other people I loved, and some of them hit REALLY hard, but losing her is like cutting off a limb.

My husband is my romantic soulmate.... my other half.
Trudy was my friendship soulmate.... my better half.



There is no one like her, and my life will never be the same without her in it.

I love you BAH.
LYLAMP  💛