It has taken me days to get the courage to write this post. My courageous mother lost her battle with cancer in the early morning hours of Tuesday, January 4, 2011. Cancer may have taken her body, but she won the fight in that she is eternally whole in heaven with our Savior.
Just a little background since I last wrote about her...we arrived home from New York via private jet the Thursday after Thanksgiving. We went straight to Methodist Germantown for her hip replacement/reconstruction surgery. She came through that very well. She went to the rehabilitation floor after surgery and was able to come home the night of December 23rd. Her one wish was to be home to see the girls open up their Christmas from Santa. We were lucky enough for Santa to come the night of the 23rd since Jeremy had to work on Christmas day. So we opened up presents and Mom was so happy and had a wonderful time. Christmas Day is when we really started noticing some changes in her. She was having a hard time holding things and grasping. Her mind was having a hard time focusing and thinking logically. At first we thought it was just the amount of pain meds she was on. Each day started getting worse and by that next Tuesday we decided to call Hospice in and have them start coming to the house to help us.
Like I said each day got worse...couldn't feed herself, no strength in her legs...so that Wednesday I called her sister and told her to come down. Once she got here we decided to call Mom's other siblings to tell them to come into town. Things weren't going well. By Saturday, Jan. 1, everyone was in town and at that point Mom was no longer eating and was slipping away. We sat in her room for the next three days with her holding a "vigil" so to speak. My brothers, husband and I along with Mom's 2 brothers and 2 sisters sat in the room with her and told stories. We laughed and we cried (a lot). It was such a wonderful bonding experience with everyone that I will never forget. It was so special to me and I thank her siblings and mine along with my husband for giving that to her and to me. It's what we all needed.
Early that Tuesday morning her body had enough and she left us for Heaven. I have never been more proud of her. She is such a strong, courageous woman. And I am so proud to be her daughter. I hope I can be 50% of the woman she was. I miss her...I miss her terribly. I'm heartbroken. She was my go-to person for everything. We talked about everything. I have a wonderful support system around me. But nothing is like your Mom. However, what is getting me through is that she's healthy now and she's happy. I can just see her in heaven with her spiky, fun hair again, and that makes me excited for her. She's not hurting anymore.
Thank you to everyone for all your outpouring love and support! That warms my heart and I am eternally grateful! Much love to you all!
To visit her video montage, go to http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Kathleen+Williams-Leach&lc=2230&pid=147603216&mid=4501889&locale=en-US and click on play video in the middle of the right hand side of the screen.
1 comment:
You and your family remain in my prayers. Though I never met your mom, I know that you are like her because you are one of the kindest, most sincere, and compassionate people I know. I am sure that your mom is watching you and your sweet family from Heaven and is so very proud of the person you are. :)
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