Wednesday, February 15, 2012

I Will Miss You Uncle

     I have sad news.  My uncle Pat lost his battle with pancreatic cancer late this afternoon.  He faced his illness with courage, determination and most of all hope.
     One of his last wishes was that he would be strong and aware enough to be able to tell his family that he loved them before they said their good-byes.  Thankfully he was able to do that.
     My heart goes out to my aunt Dolores, my cousins Carl, Bobby, Rachel and their families.
     In the past two years, the evil that is cancer continues to ravage, causing cruel and painful deaths. Too many funerals, we have been to far too many funerals. 
      My 86 year old mom, Priscilla, my 67 year old cousin Karen, my 67 year old friend Elaine,  my 36 year old son Joe,  3 year old Sophia, the daughter of Nicole, and 2 year old Brady, the daughter of Sherry.  
     My daughter had to explain to my granddaughter, Bella that Uncle Pat was very sick just like her Nanna and her Uncle Joe had been.  That's a lot for a seven year old to understand. 
     I wonder what would happen if all of the individual research entities would pool their resources and 
co-operate to find a cure instead of competing to be the first one to find a cure. 
     Perhaps then, my great-granddaughter, Lynda Grace, (I'm sure that she will be named after me) will read in her history book about the many lives that had been lost before the cure for the plague called cancer had been discovered.

Here is today's entry from Anna's Diary:

Friday February 15 1929
Laundress here. Mary came with Vera and Marie.  Little walk. Stopped at Elsies. Minnie there.  All came over for tea & strawberry short cake.  Jean and I visited Ethel H. at night.

9 comments:

  1. I'm sorry to hear :(

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  2. Sending all my love. I really admire how strong you are.

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  3. My heart is with you, Lynda.  You have shouldered much recently.  I am happy that your Uncle Pat got his wish.  My father's brother Pat, was the last of his siblings to pass.  He told my mom it was a good news/bad news proposition.  That seems to be the "curse of longevity."  What are you going to do, except keep plugging along, trying to make some sense out of it all.

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  4. Thank you.  All I have to say is that  there better be an explanation at the end or else I am going to be really mad...or not.

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  5. I am so sorry for your loss.

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  6. It has been a hard road for your family.  The whole thing is very confusing and unclear.  What are the lessons we are meant to carry away when people are suffering?  It is too confusing.  Hugs to you and your family.....

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  7. I thought about what the take-away might be from being at the side of a loved one who is suffering.  I just can't come up with one.  Thanks for the hugs, they are always appreciated.

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  8. Sorry for all that you and yours have been through. It's a tremendous load to bear and I truly admire the way you have handled with such openness and grace.

    I think you make a very good point about researchers pooling resources instead of competing. Unfortunately, there would be tremendous financial profit to be made in finding a cure and we can't have those corporations having to SPLIT the profits. It's an outrage, really.

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