I have a friend at church whose sister is dying from schleroderma. Her parents have been for the most part living away from home to be with their other daughter as she tries to deal with this nasty disease and the many surgeries she's had to go through in the past year. Lately things have been worsening for the sister. Last week she had to endure another surgery, this time by epidural as her heart is too weak to withstand being put under, and I lived in fear that she would be dead by today. Thankfully for the family she is still alive.
You see, she is having bowel problems, just like my aunt Kath was having at the end. I thought that if my friend's sister had to have bowel removed, as was anticipated originally, that was the end of her sister. I really felt that I was watching another family from the outside, while inside reliving what we had already gone through with Kath's last weeks, and I felt myself just waiting for the dreaded call of "she's gone"... Thankfully, they did not have to remove any bowels. The surgeons found that the bowels had become wrapped around her stoma, I believe, where the colostomy had been performed earlier last year. So that was quickly and easily repaired, while she still had the epidural without need of doing anything more serious.
My heart goes out to my friend and her family. I know how they suffer watching their family member suffer. I also know just how quickly she can be taken away from them...
How my heart aches still for my Grama. I know she misses her daughter so much. My heart aches over my own loss. I sure miss my aunt, too. I miss our talks and laughs... I am grateful when my Grama and I can talk about her. Sometimes it's a bittersweet time, but sometimes it's good.... Sometimes it's a good thing to get those tears out.
Kath, if you are looking over my shoulder, like I like to think you are. Please know that I love you so much and miss you as much. My love will never ever grow old. NEVER!!!
