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My grandma is very ill. Her condition has detioriated suddenly over the past week. Doctor says it's heart failure, poor mama's been swollen all over and hardly eats anything at all now, though she has always loved eating so much. She can barely speak, though she does try to, with us. We can hardly discern what she's saying. She wants to sleep most of the time and doesn't even recognise us sometimes.

I want to write a tribute to her now because I believe it is always better to pay tribute to the ones you love while they are still alive, as opposed to when they are gone. And my mama is certainly deserving of such an honor. Those of you who know my grandma will know of the fondness with which I have always spoken of her all these years. Words written in a blog such as this are hardly sufficient to describe the person my grandma is.

Despite having a difficult family life, she has been strong for my mum and her siblings all these years. Many will be surprised to know that my extended maternal family has met almost every Sunday since I was born (and probably before) to go to Mama's house to eat lunch or dinner. That is of course counting those who are in Singapore. Mama has been the bond that has tied us together all these years.

Mama was born in a Peranakan family. Her father, Choo Teck Guan, was a doctor and in the first ACS class in 1914. He was apparently famous for his famous Choo's cough medicine. Ang Soh Choo, her mother, was a teacher in MGS/ RGS. I remember my great grandma as a formidable lady, in the style of the Nonya matriarchs. During the war, Mama always tells the story of how she managed to leap onto a boat in the last minute with barely a possession on her, and sailed to India. She has raised six children, nearly single-handedly, for all these years, as well as been a source of unconditional love and blessing to us, her seven grandchildren.

She has always loved us generously and lavishly, showering upon us food, jewellery and hong paos to no end, since we were young. My mama loves diamonds, you see. Her eyes sparkle as brightly as the diamonds themselves, and I remember how she used to just stare at the glittering jewels and it would instantly make her feel better. I remember a time she was very ill in the hospital, and she dreamt of heaven. When we asked her what she saw there, she said the place was filled with diamonds and that God gave her a gigantic one!

She has always had such a sense of humor and wit.  We can never forget that how, on one of the first few times she met Mark, she asked him how old his grandpa was and, to my great embarrassment and horror, offered herself in marriage to his grandpa! All this of course done with a cheeky glint in her eyes.

Food has been her joy in the past few years of her life, especially. Her favourites? Durian and cream puffs and satay. It is sad for us to see how she is unable to eat much now, in her current condition.

Even though she has been bed-ridden for many years, this has not prevented her from being aware of everything happening around her. She even watched the news on CNN and warned us not to be bombed by terrorists or to go out in the rain in case we get sick. She has always had such a sharp mind.

Mama is beautiful, within and without. She was a beautiful young lady in her earlier days. In her old age, she has always had this glow and radiance about her. Best of all, she is beautiful inside. Her love for her grandchildren and children has been limitless. Even in her most worn state, lately, she still graciously thanks us for coming to visit her when we leave. She is never one to forget our birthdays and loves us endlessly, even ordering fruit to be sent to our house for a period of time. She loves buying jewellery for us and is always telling us to "Go down and eat." She was extremely skilled at baking and icing cakes when she was young, a skill she has handed down to my mother.

She has been getting along well with Mark, too, and my status in the family became subordinated to him once she had met him ;-) All she cared about in the last few months of our visiting her was "Where's Mark?" and "Tell Mark to go and eat."

It is hard for me to put into words all Mama has been to us, the way she has taught me to love life and live it to the fullest, even under the most difficult of circumstances. To always be cheerful and to give generously to my family and those I love, to always be gracious and treat others with the greatest respect. I have learnt much from her,  as has the rest of my family.

And now, in the trying circumstances my family is facing, knowing she may not have long to live, we have to remain strong for Mama and to depend on God, who knows both her and us best. Would appreciate your prayers for her, that she be comfortable and very aware of God's presence with her and the angels surrounding her as she lies in bed. I know I can entrust Mama into His loving hands. Also that she live long enough to see my uncle who's coming down from Canada and my sister from Florida, in December. Also that nothing will happen this weekend when I'm away on a mission trip from 1 to 4 Dec.  Just want to say that I love her and that she is forever in my eyes the world's best grandma - to me.