My cousin Charlene

For those that do not know, I have a cousin named Charlene. We are first
Cousins on our daddy's side. I love her, and she loves me. She found out I
was ill the day she called to tell me one of my beloved aunts had gone to
be with the Lord. I am a pretty private person, and I have relatives I
haven't told the whole truth to, not because they don't deserve
To hear it, or it is some kind of conspiracy, but simply because
it is too painful for me to talk about right now, and she
gets it. Charlene went to Annie Mae's funeral, along with other
Cousins, and all the cousins called me daily, or sometimes
Several times a day, to keep up with me. I was the one missing
out of the fold. The lost lamb of the Bettge bunch. Even my
cousin Delores, who was burying her precious mama, talked to me
several times a day. What a wonderful family God has given me.
Now, back to Charlene. She had barely made it back from a long
Trip to bury Annie Mae, when she and her husband, Bob made the
Trip over to check on me. It just so happened, within the first
Hour or so, the drs came in to give me one of the most painful
Procedures of my life. The test was to verify eaton-lambert
Syndrome. To do this, they use a form of old military torture
(or so it seems to me). They hook me up to electricity. Hook these to
Sensitive places of my body and turn on the juice. As I am screaming and
withering in pain, Charlene sat right beside me. She let me squeeze her hand
To half its size, she cried when I did, and she bowed her and prayed to
the mighty God we serve. When the test was finally complete, I couldn't
Seem to stop crying, shaking, and panicking. I couldn't think, I couldn't
pray, I could only curl in a ball and hyperventilate. She understood this
She bathed my head with a cold wash cloth, spoke softly to me while drs were
Pumping me full of pain medication and anxiety meds into my ivs, and waited
For me to be ok again, as long as that took. My first conherent words to her,
Was I was so grateful amanda wasn't here with me. It would have broken my
heart for her to see me in that much pain. You parents understand that