Rob and I went and had colonoscopies done.
Kind of like a couples special..ha ha.
Okay, all kidding aside. We needed to get this done since I have it in my family and with both of us being over 50, it's just a good idea.
Rob in prep waiting for his procedure. Jenni actually went first. This is for you, Mom.
This is why we did it
Mom got colon cancer in 2001. She had a pretty good sized tumor in her colon that burst through the wall. She ended up on a colostomy bag for about 2 years, had a lot of her colon removed and chemotherapy for 18 months.
Then she was deemed clean of cancer.
Mom went in every 3 years for a colonoscopy and was still clean of polyps and even remained clear of cancer.
In 2012, November, she walked nearly all month on the beach with 2 of her grandchildren...took them on a tour through caves that included several hundred steps up and down. Needless to say, she was in excruciating pain by the end of the tour...I know I would be as well. But she got home and continued on her walk using the treadmill.
By 2012, December, we went and visited Mom and Dad.
Mom was sitting on one of the chairs in the living room. Dogs on her lap. Dad came to give Rob and I hugs, but Mom remained on the chair.
I asked if she was okay.
She said that she may have a small stress fracture from over doing it on the treadmill.
A couple of days later and she was still having problems walking and moving, so Rob and I bought her a walker and a stand alone cane. She loved it and was free to move about where ever she wanted.
We saw her again in 2013, February and now she was saying that she had bursitis.
That's when I told her to quit self-diagnosing and get to a doctor.
She did...after a couple of more times of us telling her to do that.
She called later telling us that she had cancer again. Only this time it was in her bones, spine and she had a large tumor in her hip causing her the hip pain. In fact, she said that her hip bone was completely gone.
Mom started radiation therapy for 16 weeks to reduce the size of the tumor.
Then when that therapy was done, she began chemotherapy.
That's when things began going down hill for her.
She kept her spirits up. Her spiritual love for God got even stronger within herself and their church.
Mom knew that she would not die of cancer, but rather go home when God wanted her home.
She fought diligently until 2013, August.
That was when she was taken off of chemo because she was losing too much weight and the chemo couldn't do anything for her at this point.
She was put on hospice and brought home to be with her family.
Mom was in her hospital bed that we had brought in for her and set up in her and Dad's bedroom...right next to their king sized bed.
One wall in their huge bedroom was almost nothing but bed. That was okay because that gave enough room for her husband (our Daddy), all of their children, their grand children and great grandchildren to be on the bed with her.
Rob said that we all looked like the Waltons.
We video taped our time with her...took pictures and I kept a blog of all what was going on (the one you are reading, of course).
It was September 13, 2013. A beautiful day outside. The sun was out. Everyone was sitting around Mom's bed reading a book, texting on the phone, watching TV, whatever it was they were caught up in at the moment.
I was sitting next to her bed just looking at my phone not really doing anything at all.
Dad was in the other room watching TV.
I looked up at Mom to see her swallow deeply. She did it again. That's when I knew that this was the end.
I called out to everyone and said, "This is it everyone...come next to Mom."
Everyone gathered from where they were to be beside Mom.
She was surrounded completely around all sides of her bed by family.
Some held her hands, others put their hands on her, while some of us stood next to her.
We all watched as Mom slowly took her last breaths. Tears and sobs could be heard lightly.
One of my sisters yelled out at Moms' final breath, "Thank you Jesus for taking her home."
Just then, two family members shook and stood back quickly with a loud sigh, "Did you feel that?" one of them said. "Yes, another one said...it was like a shock that went through my body." They were both holding Mom's hands when she took her last breath when they both felt that shock run through themselves.
We closed Mom's eyes, dressed her in her Sunday best and contacted the coroner to take her.
Mom no longer suffered.
She is no longer in pain.
She remains heavy in my memories and with all of her family.
Mom was 72 years young.
That is why I say, "we do this in memory of Mom."
She had colon cancer. However, had she gone in when she was 50 years old and gotten checked and followed up with the doctors, she could have avoided the tumor that ultimately shortened her time with us.
So, as a preventative, Mom has taught us all a valuable lesson.
We do this in memory of her.
My motto now is "One Day out of Ten Years! That's all it takes."
