10 years ago today my sister died

10 years from now - 2028 - seems like a long way off.  10 years ago - 2008 - seems not too long, and quite a long time ago.  10 years ago this morning we were in Des Moines, IA dealing on a new Toyota Seyena mini-van.  Got a call from Westridge nursing home here in Clarinda that my sister, Louise, who was living there, had been taken to the hospital even though she had orders not to be hospitalized -- and was diagnosed as having or going to have a heart attack and needed to be sent to hospital in Omaha, NE.  She refused to go and was taken back to Westridge.  Over the previous 9 years she had had continuous treatment on her feet for sores, had some toes taken off, then finally a leg taken off; been on dialysis for nearly 6 years, and had had open heart surgery a few years previous.  She had worked and lived in Omaha for many years, but with the debilitating health problems that put her in a wheel chair and needing constant care we helped her move to Clarinda where we could care for her.  Over the years we made many trips to Shenandoah for dialysis and many trips to Omaha for doctor appointments and many hospitalizations.

We made our deal in Des Moines and drove the new car to Clarinda, getting to the nursing home about 6:30 or so.  We both visited Louise and then Phyllis drove on home to unload the car (We had been on a week-long trip to Columbus, OH visiting our daughter) and I stayed with Louise.  She had decided a few weeks before to go off dialysis right after her Niece Angie's wedding, when the doctor had let her take dialysis 5 days in a row previous to it so she felt good enough to go to Lincoln to the wedding. However, she felt so good after that that she decided to continue with dialysis.  Feeling "down" earlier on the day of her death or a few days before, she decided she would not go to dialysis the following day and let nature take its course.  The doctor visited her room and they gave her a morphine shot to help the chest pain she was having and our then-new minister Andy spent some private time with her; saying when he came out that "She was ready".   (She was on a Do Not Resuscitate order) I stayed with her and she finally went to sleep around 8:30 or 9 pm.  Phyllis came back and picked me up and we went home.  We were still living 4 miles west of Clarinda at that time.  We got the call about 11:30 pm from the nursing home that Louise had passed away.  We went back up to Westridge and waited until a representative from Ritchie Funeral home came and we okayed their actions.  As we felt more of her relatives could come on the Memorial Day weekend, the funeral was delayed until May 24th, Saturday of the 3-day Memorial Day weekend.

Photo taken with her 4 brothers on May 3, 2008 at cousin Angie's wedding in Lincoln, NE

Funeral services for Louise Miles, age 58 of Clarinda, IA, who died Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at Westridge Care & Rehab Center, Clarinda, Iowa will be held at 10:30 AM on May 24, 2008, at the Ritchie Funeral Home, Clarinda, Iowa with Pastor Andy Rubenking, officiating. Visitation with the family will be held Friday evening May 23, 2008, from 7-8:30 PM at the Ritchie Funeral Home. Memorials can be directed to the First United Methodist Church or the American Diabetes Association . Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on our web page, www.ritchiefuneralhome.com under Obituaries. Arrangements were entrusted to the Ritchie Funeral Service of Clarinda, Iowa.

Louise Pearl Miles was born January 25, 1950, in Callaway, NE, the only daughter of Kermit Lester Miles and Pearl Merna (Johnson) Miles. Louise was raised in rural Callaway and graduated from Callaway High School in 1968. She graduated from Methodist Hospital School of Nursing as a Registered Nurse. Louise lived several places in the Omaha area and from the mid '80's to 1999 owned her own mobile home in Omaha. Louise worked as an R.N. at Bergen Mercy Hospital, Omaha, in the "neo-natal" intensive care unit, later working in the Poison Control Center at Children's Hospital in Omaha. Following hospitalization from diabetes, Louise moved to the Eiler House in Clarinda in February of 1999 to be near her brother Lynn and his family. In November of 2003 after open heart surgery she moved to Westridge Care and Rehab Center. She had been on dialysis for nearly 6 years.

Louise was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Clarinda. She enjoyed reading, especially mysteries and history. Louise loved all animals, especially cats. Her family was very important to her and she enjoyed being with her family.

Louise is survived by her brothers, Roger Miles and wife Carolyn of Lincoln, NE, Don Miles and wife Vicki of Jackson, MO, Lynn Miles and wife Phyllis of Clarinda, IA, Darrell Miles and wife Lin of Miami, FL; nieces and nephews Keith (Roger's son) and Becky Miles, daughters Tiffany and Jessica, Lincoln, NE, Julie (Roger's daughter) and Todd Kechely, son Steve Miles, Lincoln, NE, Angie (Roger's daughter) and Jeff Alexander, Lincoln, NE, Jennifer (Don's Daughter) Miles of Cape Girardeau, MO, Cameron (Lynn's son) and Patty Miles, daughters Ashley and Emily of Marengo, IA, Michelle (Lynn's daughter) Miles of Columbus, OH, Jonathan (Darrell's son) Miles, Miami FL.

Preceding Louise in death were her parents.

May God grant comfort and strength to those who mourn her passing.

Following family photos were taken after Louise's funeral:

Nephews & Nieces Tiffany, Jessica, Steve, Ashley and Emily

Brothers and wives - Darrell & Lin; Lynn & Phyllis, Don & Vicki, Roger & Carolyn

All of our extended family except Angie's then-husband Jeff.

Nieces & Nephews: Jonathan, Cameron, Michelle, Angie,
Jennifer, Julie & Keith

Lynn Miles family:  Michelle, Phyllis, Lynn, Emily,
Ashley, Patty, and Cameron

Louise is missed.

Later, Lynn