In Honor of Louisa, my sister

I wanted to post a brief message commemoranting my sister, Louisa, who passed away on 07/13/2004.  She was diagnosed with cancer of the stomach and was in chemotherapy for five years continuously.  Her cancer progressed to her ovaries, breasts and lastly her lungs.

I have spoken to two doctors, including my own oncologist, who have expressed surprise and doubt at the fact that her cancer would have started in her stomach and spread in this way.  They both feel it probably started in her breasts and she was misdiagnosed.  This is something I will never know.

Because of Louisa, I have known what to expect every step of the way from my diagnosis through my bilateral mastectomy, my port that was put in yesterday and I have an idea of what to expect during my first chemo session next Monday, 10/01/07.  This has given me strength and courage.  My sister was 48 years old when she passed away (she was never married, didn't have children, but LOVED animals and had three dogs and three cats; our mom adopted all three dogs, I gave two of her cats away, and I kept one, Teddy, so I feel I have a piece of her.