OK, so I admit it’s been FAR too long for an update, though I do have VERY good reasons!
As I mentioned in an earlier post, my mother was also dealing with cancer. Her breast cancer “came back” after 19 years, stage 4, in Novemeber of last year. She fought it hard for 6 months, but eventually, her heart gave out (during her original cancer treatment 19 years ago, the chemo & radiation treatments caused permanent heart damage. They put in a pace maker about 10 years ago to help, but it only brought her “capacity” or pumping ability to just under 50%).
Anyhow, long story short, on Wednesday, May 9, 2012 Mom died of congestive heart failure. The chemo treatments were too much for her heart. She was only 63. She was adamant about not being left on life support, so they first removed her pacemakers’ defribulator & they told us she would live another week at most, though she’d be in pain. The doctor also told us that she had chemicals going into her IV to help “pump” her heart or the muscles, whatever. Given she would be in pain for that last week & her desire NOT to be left on life support, we decided to honor her request & have them stop the drugs going into her IV.
At that point, I held her left hand & talked to her while my brother Jason held her right hand & she passed in literally 20 minutes. It was difficult to say the least, as I was very close to my mother. And she was young at 63. And she had successfully “beaten” it the first time & we thought she would beat it this time. But she’s in a better place, so we KNOW she’s better off. Though I miss her IMMENSELY and think about her daily.