Hi all,

This is just a little note to share about the current state of my Mom's
situation.  For those of you who are new to the list, my Mom has metastatic
lung cancer.

Mom's physical condition has declined rapidly, and she was admitted into the
Hospice Center of Northern Virginia last Sunday.  She is resting as
comfortably as possible, and doesn't appear to have much pain thanks to
successful medication combinations.  She is quite weak however, suffers from
extreme bouts of nausea, and is sometimes unable to talk simply due to the
effect of medication.  The conversations I have had with Hospice staff lead
me to believe that they don't think she will live long.  She has told me
several times that she is ready to die, and asked me to pray for that to
happen soon.

I am delighted with the level of care and kind attention she is receiving
from the Hospice staff.  Prior to her admittance into Hospice -- to be honest
-- I had begun to wonder whether anything would happen in the course of her
medical treatment that would impress me.

Perhaps it seems that I should be distraught and grief stricken about my
mother's impending death, but I am not.  She has enjoyed a full and rich
life, and seized valuable opportunities to pursue her beloved career in
library science.  She has faithfully attended to her civic responsibilities,
and has never swayed from speaking the truth as she saw it, for the benefit
of convenience.

There are too many people who have not had these opportunities, for one
reason or another.  There are too many voices that call from the darkness,
yet are not heard.  With that in mind, I can think of nothing about my
Mother's impending death that makes me sad, save for the illness from which I
wish she could have been spared, and the fact that I will miss her dearly.
Nevertheless, I will always have fond memories of my Mother's love.

In many respects, I am lucky to have known her at all.  I feel the same way
about my Father, so I don't feel grief at this time, only the fortune of
having been blessed with good parents.  I am aware that many people do not
know this particular comfort.

My grief is for them.  I wish I could share with them what I have had.

Having attended to the business affairs of final arrangements, I can sit back
now, and enjoy the time I have left with my Mom.  Everything seems in order.
I have decided not to attend her funeral.  I have spoken with her minister.
He is a wonderful man, and understands my reasons.  My own minister will do
something private with me.  I prefer to celebrate my Mother's life rather
than mourn her passing.

I mourn for those who never had the chance to live.

Thank you, my friends, for being my friends.

Betty