Judith Powell Davis

NORMAL - Judith Powell Davis, 64, of 311 S. Towanda Ave., No. 7, Normal, died at 11:35 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 28, 2007) at BroMenn Regional Medical Center, Normal.

Service: 10:30 a.m. Friday celebration of life service at Wayman African Methodist Episcopal Church, Bloomington, with the Rev. Charles Orr officiating. A second memorial service will be at a later date at Olivet African Methodist Episcopal Church, South Bend, Ind., with the Rev. Martel Winburn Sr.

Private inurnment: at a later date at City Cemetery, South Bend, Ind.

Visitation: the family will receive friends after the service during the repass on Friday at the church.

Memorials: in lieu of flowers, to Diabetes Research Wellness Foundation, P.O. Box 96046, Washington, DC 20077-7240. Arrangements are being handled by Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington.

Survivors: one son, Emory Grant Davis III, Normal.

My Life at the Present Moment

Where do I begin? Well, let’s just jump into what the biggest situation in my life is right now. It’s my mother and there is no easy way to say it except to just say it.


My mother is dying.


It all started with a small sore on her left ankle that got infected and the infection spread a little too fast for me to step in and make a decision about it. That happened (I think) back in June. Now the infection is in and around the ankle bone. My mother is a diabetic which complicates things and she also has Congestive Heart Failure which complicates things as well. Her regular Dr. and a Wound Dr. have worked with her almost nonstop for about 4 months to get her wound under control. Because of where the infection is at and the hardening of the arteries in her legs, they have been unsuccessful in saving the foot. So they want to cut it off below the knee. Now the problem is that my mother’s Congestive Heart Failure has gotten to the point that they can’t cut her foot off. It has affected her kidney and liver functions and caused her to get an Aspirating Flu that has drastically affected her ability to eat anything at all.


So in a nutshell, she has somewhat good days and sometimes very bad days. The problem is that the bad days are getting a lot more frequent than the good days are. She has been in and out of the nursing home with her Congestive Heart Failure and Dehydration as well. She is currently in the hospital and they are not sure if and when she will be able to leave there. Some say she will pull through and some say they don’t think she will. This really has been a roller coaster of a ride for the both of us. I know, and they know, she is going to die, but only God knows when that will be. I know in my heart that she wants to die at home. My question is WHEN do you know it’s time to bring her home to die and when do you tell the Dr. that he’s done all he can do?


I’m not asking my friends for anything but a prayer for my mother and I. I’ve realized through all of this that both my mother and I have a huge amount of friends and I know that she as well as I are very thankful for that.


I will try to keep you up to date on the situation, but it’s been hard enough for me to just keep up with day to day activities.


Love you all!!!