Lois

My coworker and friend Lois died last week.  She was as tough as any woman I have known.  She knew she had a very agressive cancer.  We are nurses and so we have had experience with many people who lost their struggle.  She was 47, she has a 13 yo son a grandchild and a wonderful husband.  They were only married a few years but he was so kind and supportive we all thought he was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

She worked in many places in the hospital and so many coworkers knew and loved her.  She had surgery, took chemo and radiation.  Once she understood that the pain she was having was metastasis to her pelvis and hips, she got mad.  At that point she looked for other treatment options.  Her husband helped her with any choice she made.

The next to last hospital visit, she had become jaundiced and once they figured the best pain control, she went home.  A few days later she was back.  She was confused and combative.  We knew a kind, soft spoken woman and it was awful to see her like that.

I will never forget when I told her about my diagnosis, she cried worse than I did.  

She was about 6 months ahead of me and she told me things that helped with her treatment.  She sent me encouraging emails all summer.

I started yoga lessons about a week before she died.  I wore my " I wear pink for Lois"  shirt.  I will now wear it to every yoga class, and hope it wil help me to remember her strength.