Sleeping Beauty

One year ago today I lost this sweet little girl from my life. Dakota Marie Madsen was my niece. She was born Dec 21, 1999, just 10 months after her older sister, Teriann. She was such a sweet little girl. She had killer smiles for you and hug just when you needed one. In October of 2007, she suffered a seizure while at school. She was taken to the hospital where they found a tumor on her pituitary gland. She had it removed and was making a great come back until Spinal Meningitis hit her.

The doctors didn't know if she would survive or not... but she came through, although not unscathed. She could no longer talk, walk, or eat on her own, she needed help with everything. Macee and I went up to the hospital a couple days a week to read to her and sing to her. We loved our visits with her. I grew so close to "Koda" (as Macee called her) by visiting so much... she almost felt like one of my kids. I could always get a smile from her... and soon she would squeeze my hand. I would squeeze her hand 3 times as I said "I Love You" (one squeeze for each word) and one day I got three squeezes in return. I knew that she knew and understood everything going on around her... she just couldn't say a word. We really enjoyed visiting her through the Christmas holidays... we all went up (Chuck's family) to visit her during our "Thismas" celebration and decorated her room. Macee and I took her on wagon rides around the hospital. I remember talking with the nurses about how well she was doing. She was getting ready to be moved to the physical therapy section of the hospital and getting ready to come home... but Heavenly Father must have had a different plan... He wanted her to go home... to Him.

I remember clearly that Saturday... we had gotten home from a trip to the Polar Express and I was in bed and Chuck came in and told me Dakota had a heart attack. In my mind I didn't understand it... how could she have a heart attack??? She was getting better. I cried and cried and told Chuck I needed to go see her first thing the next morning. He agreed and then I tried to go back to sleep, only to have Chuck come in and tell me Dakota had passed away. Her poor little body could not take anymore. I had a really rough time with this. I had never had someone close to me pass away. I felt like I lost my own child. We had become so close over those past couple months. I don't know how I made it through, but I did. I imagined Dakota being free from the body that held her captive here on this earth. I imagined her in heaven picking flowers and dancing... while wearing a pink dress (her most favorite color). I knew she was surrounded by family that had passed before her... how could she not be taken in and loved? She was a sweetheart! I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us. I know that her time was up on this earth. Whatever her mission was, it was complete. If it wasn't complete, we would still have her here with us today. I'm grateful that I got to be a part of her life... that I got to know such a sweet and loving girl. She has made me want to be a better person and to push myself to do more. It is because of her that I decided to push myself to finish with my Nursing degree. Who knows, maybe she is up in heaven helping me along... wouldn't that be a nice thought. I just wanted to pay my respects to a little girl who helped me live, love and learn. I will always miss Dakota, but I'm grateful for the Plan of Happiness and that one day I will be able to see and be with her again. I just hope I can live worthy of that promise!

Our "Sleeping Beauty"

Sleeping Beauty was Dakota's favorite princess, I like to call her my Sleeping Beauty!