I love you, Mom

On Valentine's Day around two in the afternoon, my mother ended her battle with Leukemia, drifting off peacefully with her family surrounding her bed. What a battle she had. Since my being in college, Mom rode the waves of emotions, treatments, complications, and suffering that at times were overwhelming and at the best were just an annoyance. She also had great joys in those times. She watched two of her children get married (not to each other thankfully) and experienced the birth of three granddaughters. My mother also found a place of peace during that time in Montana. Trips to strengthen the mind and body were lengthy and frequent. It was such a special place for her full of beauty, good people, and tranquil solitude.

On occasion, when I first was going to Duke for radiation treatments, we wold meet in the cafeteria for breakfast. She'd come early to an appointment and I'd stay late after a treatment. Although the radiation was easy for me being on my arm, the difficult part was befriending the other patents, many who were having more sensitive areas radiated like their throat or abdomen. Mom and I both laughed about how F'ed up the situation was for us to be meeting for breakfast in Durham because we both had cancer. It only happened a few times, but I'm glad we were able to share that time together, comfort each other, and try to have some normalcy in such an unfavorable situation.

I may add some more later, but just wanted to say a few words about my mom. She sat with me at the hospital almost every day I did chemo and most of the ones I was home recovering. I always loved to run everything by her. She and I thought very alike on so many things. It's going to be a crazy world without her.