We say goodbye today to a truly strong woman who I have seen fight hard and keep fighting more despite every obstacle. She has been an inspiration to me with my disease and life. When I feel tired and hurting, I knew she was definitely hurting worse. If she could fight as hard as she did...then I have no excuses. Thank you for the strength. You will be greatly loved and missed.
The following are beautiful words written today by my closest friend for her mother-in-law that passed today.
A fine woman passed away today. She wasn’t famous, she didn’t change the world in a grand scale, and most people will never know what mark she left. Unless of course, you knew her. She was a woman who brought four beautiful babies into this world. She stood up to the doctors and demanded that they look closer to one of those babies, and sadly watched her die at only eighteen months. She endured ridicule and hate from those around her when she let the doctors examine her child to see if they could save other children’s lives.
She went on the raise the other three children practically by herself. She stayed in a loveless marriage so her children wouldn’t have to endure the whispers and snide remarks about coming from a broken home like she had to. Her three children grew into fine adults, all emulated her strong work ethic, and all rose to the top of each of their chosen professions.
She spoiled and showered love and affection to those that she loved. And she loved many. All of her nieces and nephews became surrogate grandchildren to her. She loved them all wholeheartedly. She also had four grandchildren of her own. She had lots of time with her two older grandchildren and cherished every minute she spent with them. Two more followed years later. Miss M was three and her younger cousin had just been born three months prior to the doctors finding the cancer.
Their prognosis was grim. Stage 4 ovarian. Already interfering with other things, it was an aggressive cancer and with all of her other medical problems, they just didn’t think there was much they could do. 17 months was their prediction, maybe two years if she’s lucky. But she wouldn’t hear any of it. She had two very young granddaughters. “I’m going to live for five more years. I’m going to live long enough that my granddaughters will remember me.”
She never once backed down. She always asked for more chemo. More radiation, whatever it took. She fought with a strength no one ever realized she had. She would wear funny t-shirts to treatment to get a laugh from everyone. “If there’s no chocolate in heaven, I’m not going.” Complained that her sister passed away first so she would get more time with Elvis before she got there. She handled her fight with grace, dignity and a wonderful humor. She finally gave up her fight 4 years and 9 months after she was diagnosed. Just three months shy of her goal.
She was a fine woman. Her legacy is her strength, her courage, and the depth of her love.
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