On 7/18/16, I delivered the eulogy for my best friend and mom. This was not something that I thought I had the strength to do. The theme of the eulogy was the 5 S's (social, spiritual, service, school and sports) that I see as key to a well-balanced life. They worked well for young children when I first came up with them 10 years ago, and they work well for a mother/grandmother during her final years.
My mom had one more S that happened to be the word she selected in January to guide her in 2016. And that word is Strength. There are not many people who could stay positive hauling around an IV bag and wound vac for 3 months as well as the appointments for chemo, wound care, thoracenteses (she had at least 12 of these since February) and an extended stay in the hospital. But my mom had the strength to endure all this and more. She showed and maintained that strength until she and I had some heart to heart discussions and she decided everything had just become too overwhelming. That is still strength, in my opinion, to be able to fight the fight and then decide when the fight wasn’t worth fighting.
When my mom chose the word strength in January, I bought her a necklace that says “strength” I will continue to wear the necklace I gave her to give me the strength to get through the days without our daily calls and numerous visits. She will be missed greatly but knowing that she is in heaven with our heavenly Father and reunited with my dad gives me and my family all the strength we need.
-Kathleen
