My grandma became my best friend, we would talk on the phone every day, and most of the time we talked multiple times a day. She was the one I called for everything, without hesitation, because I knew that no matter what was going on in my life or what I needed at that moment, she would do her best to support me in whatever way I needed, whether that be a listening ear, a pep talk, or even just a loving call out with an opposing perspective. I also knew that my grandma would hold space for me in a way that I did not need to experience shame or guilt and this allowed me to be my most authentic self with her. When my grandma was diagnosed with severe dementia, I had the opportunity to step up as her conservator and care for her in the same way that she had cared for me my whole life, with unconditional love. Throughout this challenging time our relationship grew in ways that I couldn’t have imagined and since she has passed our relationship continues to evolve as grief is something that does not leave, but becomes something we learn to navigate and coexist with over time.