Sasheena
New User
Joined: 22 Aug 2006
Posts: 3
|
 Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 1:07 pm Post subject: Mum |
 |
|
I wanted to post a memorial for my mum who was a brave warrior in the fight against cancer and who finally, on January 4th, gave up the fight and passed away at the age of 61.
When mum was 43 she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. They did a total hysterectomy and found that the cancer had not "attached" or something like that, in other words they did not feel it would spread. They also found a 2 mm cervical cancer at the same time. She was not treated with chemo or radiation. She was tested twice a year and at five years she was declared cancer free.
At 54 mum was again diagnosed with cancer, this time of her salivary gland. She had them removed and the doctors were pleased and felt that there was very little chance of them spreading. No treatment beyond removal, though she was warned that that time of cancer can come back, so they put her on to watch and test often to make sure it did not recur.
At 57 mum woke up one morning and made her morning cup of coffee. She opened the fridge door to get her creamer out and at that moment fell to the floor in agony. She was rushed to the hospital. They finally decided that her colon had ruptured and decided to see if it would "fix it self". When that didn't work, after three days of sheer agony, they opened her up. She had colon cancer. The docs cleaned her out detached her colon, and sewed her up with a colostomy bag. She was in ICU for a month and finally responded to medicine and intervention. Once her incision healed she started chemotherapy. She was so mad, after she got her hair cut short in anticipation of losing it, to find tha she was one of those rare people who didn't lose their hair to chemo. For a year she had her bag and her chemo, and the doctors were very optimistic that they'd killed the cancer. She happily anticipate the surgery to put her all back together again and eliminate the bag.
During the surgery to reattach her innards, there was more colon cancer observed. The doctors still reattached her and removed what they could, and then closed her up. More chemo. From then on she continued to have chemo of one sort or another. Twice more they thought they might have defeated it, but tests revealed it was as stubborn as she was. Her gradual declne accelerated in the fall of last year. She dropped 90 lbs and was down to a skeleton. Her final days were spent in the hospital though she wanted desperately to die in her own home, it was just not possible. My father brought pictures of her cats and kids and grandkids into the hospital room, he played DVD's of their home movies and photographs of their various cruises they went on over hte last few years. I was able to fly out to be with her two different times in her last month, having to leave two days before she finally passed away. My sister and her kids were able to fly out for her final hours, and everyone knew mum was holding on tight, and defying the doctor's predictions just so she could see her grandkids one last time.
Mum was a compassionate and empathetic person who liked to fight battles in one form or another. She was always fighting for someone's rights and she cared deeply about the people around her. She took great pride in me as a recognized and awarded teacher, and in my sister as a mother and small-business owner. She missed my brother daily from the time of his death in 1984. She was married 43 years to her high school sweetheart. Her personality was larger than life, her stubbornness legend, her legacy unfathomable. I will miss her, talking with her on the phone, visiting her, having her around to share my triumphs and my struggles.
_________________
~Sasheena |
|
Search 
Email Digests
Register to post
Profile 
Check private messages 
Log in
What is this ?
We subscribe to the HONcode principles. Verify here. All content and posts are copyright.
