AwesomeForever
Precious Memories
Apr 07, 2011
Wednesday, I learned that my dear aunt had died.She was a rock for all who knew her. My aunt cared for many people in their last days while continuing to be a kindergarten teacher at a Christian school. They would see her smiling and encouraging face or hear her in the case of her blind mother in law getting them up for breakfast and their morning rituals before the home health aide arrived. She had to wake up three hours before work in order to get everyone all set.
In her younger years, she raised three children. She found that she could also run a business in her spare time while being a teacher. My grandparents would enjoy going down and making ceramic lamps at Patty's business. They were so proud of her. When my mom developed cancer Patty went down to FL to help her move upstairs above the shop. It was a nice two bedroom apartment. Patty did not like my mom's boyfriend who often drank too much. She never could tolerate the drinking.
In her latter years, Patty took to quilting. She made me a quilt that is all ready for that wonderful big machine to quilt together. I was so happy to see it. My sister will finish it off for Patty and me.
While slowly, dying she was finishing up projects that she had done for many years. It was finishing with crochet the edges of fleece blankets that are given out in hospitals for the newborns that need extra care.
Patty needed a cap for her head as the treatments she received caused her hair to fall out. This last time she had the hair all cut off and it came in white. I am sure that if she was meant to recover, she would have crocheted caps for others. This is the kind of woman she was.
Patty showed my sister and I her cancer and her head without a cap. I helped her by cutting her toe nails. Her chest was too sore to bend down over her knees to cut them. I also showed kindness to her by getting her dogs nails trimmed.
While we visited with Patty in February, we were able to help out and do her laundry. I love that she had two places to wash clothes. It turned out that the dryer worked in the building down below and the washer spun better in her home. The costs of repairs was out of the question.
These kind of little tasks that needed to be done were getting harder and harder for her to do. She had a cough that we thought was because she was talking more to us during our visit than usual. Yet, it was diagnosed and treated with a Zpack. I am not sure of the requirements. It turned out that she had bronchitis. Her strength was waning. She took all day to pack for a trip to her son's home. We were to drop her off. I gave her a hug but not too tight because of the cancer on her chest. It was painful to say good bye. I knew that I would never see her again. I did get to talk with her one more time. I sent her a nice bathrobe for her to sit with her company.
Patty ended up in the hospital in her son's town. She was in a coughing fit more than likely scared her. She was so dehydrated that they had a hard time getting a line in for the IV. Her blood pressure was extremely low.
We were the last ones to see Patty shop or go out to eat. From this hospitalization in Feb. Patty did not spend any more time in her own home. She ended up going into the hospital two more times. Once for pneumonia because her cancer in her throat caused her to get liquid in her lungs. They gave her a feeding tube for her last weeks.
Patty was to continue her chemo and radiation. She was not able to speak above a whisper nor had the strength to get dressed the last week. Her daughter cared for her with her sons visiting. Her grandson let Sherri know why she wanted the room so cold. Her effort to breathe made her feel so warm.
Now, I know why I felt so cold in her home and my aunt was sitting in shortsleeves. My RNY makes me feel colder now. My sister and my aunt were talking about their quilting projects and I was thinking I needed a quilt to cover me. I was sitting in my fleece jacket!
I am so lucky to have someone who was my friend as well as my aunt. She would speak to me when I needed someone to talk to. I knew that she did not share what I said.
Rest In Peace, Patty, you gave us all precious memories.
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Marlborough, MA
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22.6
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Surgery
01/03/2008
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Nov 15, 2007
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