Approaching Mother's Day

Almost two years since that last very hopeful post.  I wanted to update this and all of you that followed  Mom's path.  We had started this so that so many of you could keep up to date on how she was.  She loved all the notes, phone calls, texts, emails, & these blog posts helped her get out the details so she didn't have to spend every conversation on Cancer talk.  As most all of you know a year after that post in August 2015 Mom developed complications from what we thought was related to the kidney, but unfortunately it was more Cancer and a very aggressive. We had 30 short days from getting the worst prognosis.  She was surrounded with family & friends daily till the very end.  She talked daily with her siblings and truly felt the love everyone shared.  For those of you who followed along here on this blog I want you to all know we miss her every day but we are doing well.  I know that would be most important to her, so that is important for us.  We got through the first year of "firsts" realizing it still hurts and that void will always be there. 

Recently I heard Vice President Joe Biden comment on loss this way.   "The first year is hard everything is the first without them but the second year is even harder because reality sets in that they're really gone."

As Mother's Day weekend approaches I wanted to share some pictures of Mom over the years.

Janice, Gerald, & Janet

Janice & Janet

Bessie (her mom) sisters Janet, Carol, Sharon
& daughter Carolyn in her lap.

Jan & Rog

Janice, Lesley, Janet, & Amy

Graduations

"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard"  --Winnie the Pooh

Now

Now t

Two years later

Here we are 2 years later......where have we been?

Well after the last post we headed into fall & the holiday season with Jan continuing to get stronger every day.  She went back to her daily walks, got all the new meds balanced, got some family trips in, celebrated the engagement of another granddaughter, enjoyed the holidays, spent some of January in Florida with her twin sister Janet & brother in law Don, helped with crafting for the next wedding and then the news from one of the many tests & scans she must endure wasn't good.  This time Kidney.  Cancer but unrelated to the breast CA.  It felt like a kick in the gut, but like the trooper she is,  she said "let's get in there & get it done" and so they did.  Luckily (if you can use that word in the story of cancer) it was contained, by removing the kidney they were able to get it all out.  Although a big painful surgery & a very painful recovery she didn't have to deal with chemo or radiation this time.  What we know for sure is: you must---everyone--- maintain your regular check ups, know as much of your family history as possible, & the best defense for Cancer is early detection.  Don't put off check ups-- it is your best chance at fighting this disease.

Once again with her drive & my dad's determination to get her where she wanted to be, she did get to the bridal shower.  Amazingly just a couple weeks later still quite sore, she was able to be with us to celebrate.

Bridal Shower day

Having worked so hard to get her strength back the first time, she knew how important it is to get back to a schedule.  With that she got right back to building up her walking and by July was feeling good for the wedding.  She arrived in Vermont pitched right in altering dresses & suits, fixing hair and whatever she saw that needed doing.  She looked amazing completely able to enjoy such a wonderful family event.

Well that brings anyone who wasn't aware up to date and me ready to get back to travel posts.  So if you are interested in travel you may want to check in from time to time.  It is something we love to do whether it is overnights, long weekends, or longer we want to spend our free time exploring near & far.  I will be back blogging a number of trips we've had over these last few years mixed in with some we have coming up.