My mom died on December 31 New Years Eve 2010. My only regret is that she did not have a peaceful painless death. I took care of her for the ten days in and out of the hospital and back to the Nursing care portion of her retirement home. It took a toll on my own health. My blood counts dropped so low that my oncologist concerned that I might be in relapse scheduled a repeat biopsy.I recovered and didn't need the biopsy and now feel very well again. It's a real lesson about the impact of stress to one's health. Stress can do more harm than just about anything.
The weather has been so extreme over the last 10 months. In summer while I was in the middle of chemo the heat was unbearable and forced me indoors for weeks at a time. Now the mountains of snow then ice have put me back inside again. I think I should be writing. This week I'm going to start my memoir/chemo cookbook which I hope will be engaging and helpful to others faced with similar situations.
I miss my Mom and now know how she felt when she would read an obituary about an old acquaintance or found a long lost watch or other keepsake and think "I'll have to tell Joe about this". Now she is gone and my Aunt Florence said of her funeral that she dressed to meet Joe in heaven. Here is a little rough video of her funeral, be warned it was an open casket. I made it for my sister Elaine who could not be in attendance.
