Mamaw rarely could handle flowers anyway, most of them set her off coughing. So, for our extended tribe who may wish to make a gesture, we ask that you donate to Hospice rather than send flowers.
Hospice is a wonderful, caring organization, and group of people, who do far more than they get credit for. The organization and people here were invaluable to us.
Feel free to donate to your local hospice care organization or if you prefer (one friend has already requested the information) you can donate to ours in her name:
Baca County Hospice
210 E 10th St
Springfield, CO
81073
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Mamaw
In January, Mamaw was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer. It had already gone to her brain. They found a tumor the size of a golf ball.
They surgically removed that one, and treated the others they could see with a focused radiation procedure. Then she started chemo.
She went through a full course of chemo, and it halted the stuff in her lungs. She had to have two more rounds of radiation for the stuff in her brain though.
She had anxiety attacks, thanks to the changing brain chemistry. She went through all the misery that goes with chemo, including losing her hair. She refused to wear a wig. She said "I have cancer. I don't have anything to be ashamed of, if people don't like it, they don't have to look!"
She fell in love with one of the pups when we had the baby schnauzers around. When he was potty trained, he came to live with her. He had such a dramatic effect on the anxiety that her oncologist proclaimed him a service dog. He cut her medication in half, for a long time.
She never gave up. Never. The doctors were all amazed, nothing was progressing as fast as it should have for this aggressive cancer. She just kept going.
Until tonight. Tonight she lost the fight. Her body just ran out of resources to fight with, and in the end, it was a mercy.
She will be missed, and loved, always and forever, but her fight is over now.
Rest In Peace, Mamaw. We love you.
They surgically removed that one, and treated the others they could see with a focused radiation procedure. Then she started chemo.
She went through a full course of chemo, and it halted the stuff in her lungs. She had to have two more rounds of radiation for the stuff in her brain though.
She had anxiety attacks, thanks to the changing brain chemistry. She went through all the misery that goes with chemo, including losing her hair. She refused to wear a wig. She said "I have cancer. I don't have anything to be ashamed of, if people don't like it, they don't have to look!"
She fell in love with one of the pups when we had the baby schnauzers around. When he was potty trained, he came to live with her. He had such a dramatic effect on the anxiety that her oncologist proclaimed him a service dog. He cut her medication in half, for a long time.
She never gave up. Never. The doctors were all amazed, nothing was progressing as fast as it should have for this aggressive cancer. She just kept going.
Until tonight. Tonight she lost the fight. Her body just ran out of resources to fight with, and in the end, it was a mercy.
She will be missed, and loved, always and forever, but her fight is over now.
Rest In Peace, Mamaw. We love you.
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