In Memoriam

Today I am using this space to say goodbye to my mom.

As you may know, my mom passed away last week. After battling cancer on and off for 6 years, in addition to the Crohn's disease she struggled with for most of her life, we learned in April that cancer had returned and was not treatable.

Even so, we did not anticipate that she had so little time left. After her diagnosis, she began in-home hospice care, and just a month ago, my sister quit her job so she could stay with my mom while my dad was at work. 

But on June 3, my mom fell into a coma, and she never woke. The hospice nurses, based on physical signs, told us she would likely pass within a couple of days, but she actually managed to hold on for 12, though she was unresponsive. My sister, father and I stayed by her side as much as we could, until she left us on Tuesday, June 14. 

Mom was laid to rest on Friday. Many dear family and friends were there to say goodbye.

Mom had never been the same since her original cancer diagnosis and laryngectomy. While she had never been the easiest person to get along with, she had a strong personality and enthusiasm for her favorite activities--cooking, reading, crossword puzzles, cats--that slowly faded. My husband and children never got to meet the mom I knew, which makes me sad. 

But I know she loved us. She loved being a grandmother. And we'll all miss her very much.