More on Lisa

Cyndi sent me the following note that she wants forwarded on to the rest of the family. I thought I'd share it here as well.

Lisa had a wonderful 12 months of life after her diagnosis. She fought hard to keep the cancer at bay and to live with energy and love. She called me Friday to tell me she felt fantastic and had heaps of energy and was hoping that she was getting better and was going to get rid of the tumour. On Saturday we went to a musical. On Sunday she woke up and was vomiting blood. She was admitted to hospital emergency 12.30 on Sunday lunch time and died at 10.50am 26.3.2007.

The tumour had encroached on a major blood vessel and there was no way we could stop the bleeding. They gave me two choices, one was to operate but the likely hood of her dying on the operating table was very high. Or she could just stop the blood transfusions and die peacefully. We all talked about it and she made the decision to stop the blood transfusions. She told me she was tired and she was ready to go. She was resigned to that and we spent the next 24 hours with her. We talked to her and she continued to give cheek back to us right up until 4.00 am that morning.

Her son Trent was informed and he made a phone call to her before she lost the power of speech. It was a wonderful conversation for her. He also sent a photo of himself but by the time we got the photo she was unable to open her eyes, although she did nod to me that she saw the photo, so maybe she had a peak.

The story of the rosary beads continue. I was in Brisbane when I got the call that Lisa was in the emergency room. So I went straight there, not really knowing the facts. Howard and the kids came down later that night to say good bye to Lisa and Fran had noticed that my rosary beads were in the bathroom, she picked them up and brought them to me. I put the beads on Lisa, which she wore for the last 12 hours of her life, and she will be cremated with those beads. My sister was my best friend, she was my confidant, she was the person that I turned to for advice on life and living, she was an amazing person with amazing knowledge and insight, I will miss her so much.

She is being cremated on Thursday at 9.00am. On Friday at 6.00pm we are having a celebration of her life. She was not a traditionalist so we will not be having a traditional funeral, just a great party. People are coming from far and wide. The head of the New Zealand School of Chiropractic called and told me he was coming, people from all over Australia respected her as a Chiropractor and a friend and are coming to celebrate a brilliant life.

Please put this on the blog if you think it is appropriate. The rosary beads have been a blessing and when Fran brought them to me I knew exactly what they were made for. They were a symbol of three great ladies, three generations now together watching over us, Grandma, Mum and my sister Lisa. My beads given to Lisa as she was dying was the part of me which has gone with her that can never be recovered. I will miss her greatly.

Can you also send this on to all the family, so that they know that Lisa died so very beautifully and peacefully.

As my mother so eloquently put it after I read this to her, there are no words. Or, perhaps there are three. Thank You Cyndi. You've been through so much lately, but the bond that we've forged together through the rosaries has been utterly priceless as is the fact that you've been willing to share these stories with us and with me . Thank you.