I'm in a La Quinta Inn in Conroe, TX. My grandma is in the ICU/CCU at the Regional Medical Center. She is intubated, and her kidneys are failing. I am trying so very hard to keep a positive outlook. No one lives forever. And she's not been very well lately. But I am not ready to say goodbye to her.

We were only allowed in two at a time from 5pm - 6pm. My mom and I went in first. I asked my mom if she could feel all the stuff that was attached to her. She said that she couldn't, but she could hear us. She said, "go talk to her."

So I walked over there, leaned in close, swallowed hard and said, "you know lady, if you wanted us all to come and see you, there are better ways to go about it." She began to move. They lessened her sedative, so that she'd be more lucid once we all arrived. My granddaddy came in. At one point, there were five of us in the room. The nurse said that as long as we didn't excite her, we could stay.

So, that's what's going on. Next visiting hour is from 9am - 10am. We're meeting just before 9am. My niece and I are having a slumber party in a stinky hotel room. She doesn't really know what's going on, so all she knows is that all her family is in town, and now she and her favorite aunt are drinking hot cocoa in a hotel room, watching the Disney Channel. She's having a ball.

I am trying really hard to hold it together, so that an 8-year-old can enjoy a Saturday night out on the town.