My mother's legacy is huge. As the only child of British immigrants she managed to marry a 'wonderful' man. However he was from the 'other side of the tracks'. Although her father supported her, her mother resisted him through the years and even through Alzheimers.
My happy-go-lucky dad always handled this with a smile and did his best to take care of his 'mother-in-law' in the best way until her passing.
Mom and Dad watched my sister and I grow into adults: me the rebel and my sister the 'princess'. The perfect pair. But mom and dad never chose. The foundation they had built for us no matter what was the same.
My husband had gone through a dx of stage iv non-hodgkins. He'd had 18 months of chemo and a BMT soon after our 2nd child was born. Locally he was given a 0% chance to survive but we travelled and he is 5 years post BMT.
When my mom got sick 3 years ago it was her first serious illness in her life. I was with her at the initial doc visit when they said 'you've got cancer'. It was endometrial and she underwent radiation and surgery without a complaint. I couldn't believe this disease could take my mom also!!
Although the radiation put her into remission for 7 months we were to have a final recurrence. Mom fought valiantly and refused oxygen and a hospital bed to the end.
She died in my arms, as it should be if it has to be at all.
With each milestone comes heartache. I miss my mom.
Lisa Caruso
