My sympathy and prayers go out to the family of Paulette Bain who passed away. She was a wonderful person; very kind to my late husband, C.W. Wilson, and me when she was in Home Health. I always looked forward to her visits.

I was thinking today about my mama who was one person with a lot of grit. She gave birth to eight children with only two of us still living; my sister Joann Pittman and me.

One thing that comes to my mind is how she was a survivor even in the toughest times. I have written before how Daddy died when I was nine-years-old leaving Mama to raise my brother, W.B., my sister, Ruby, and me. We would not have made it without help from family and neighbors.

Then there was the time when she developed typhoid fever and nearly died. She was determined to pull through, and did by God’s miracle using Dr. John L. VanHooser. He was a young doctor in Smithville who had just started his practice. Dr. VanHooser came to our house to tend to Mama for a dollar per visit if I remember correctly.

Even Dr. VanHooser had doubts that Mama would survive. Our family and some neighbors expected the worst. There was talk that Mama should let W.B., Ruby and me be taken in to be raised by other families. But Mama was set on not letting her small family be broken up.

Even when she was at her worst, Mama kept fighting to pull through and keep us together. Well, the Lord blessed her with a miracle and she lived to see us grow up and have our own families.

She also married Roscoe Ervin, a widower who had several children still at home. Then they had Mac and JoAnn, my youngest brother and sister.

In life a person has to do what must be done. But while thinking about Mama today, I appreciate her strength and determination about being a survivor.

Like the other residents here at NHC in Smithville, I wish life could be like it was before. But nothing stays the same. I am thankful to have the care and attention given to us.

My recent visitors included Helen Cantrell, W.J. Page, Anna Parker, Peggy Fuson, Betty Jo Cantrell, Randy Vaughn, Jo Dean Redmon, Jewell Tate, JoAnn Pittman, Angie Meadows and Ralph and June Vaughn.