Life Is Too Short

A truly fantastic human being, experienced teacher, mother, wife and best friend was lost when, Scott’s mom, Pattie succumbed to the complications of her cancer, this last Sunday. My friend, who was also my Matron of Honor, Lara, called last night around 9:30pm and I knew something was not right. A few weeks ago I emailed her telling her that I would be happy to meet her if her little family ever came up to visit Scott’s family in Northern California. At this time she requested that they could focus on quality time with Pattie and immediate family and I understood.
Cancer is a term that involves so many vile afflictions that can strike almost any part of the body. Grandma and Grandpa’s skin cancer, caused by sun-worshipping, resulted in Grandpa’s ears looking like they had been bar-b-qued. But they both luckily had no other complications. Laddie, our Scottish terrier, died when his bone cancer left him in so much pain that he could not leave his little dog bed. Right around the time I was forced into womanhood, my mother was going through a hysterectomy because she had an orange-sized cyst on her ovary. That procedure was followed by hormone therapy and the sudden emotional roller-coaster of menopause that we had to cope with as a family.
When I heard that Pattie was diagnosed a year or two ago, I prayed for a miracle and hoped that it would be a successful battle. I prayed that she would pull through because she had such a rich life. She recently remarried herself before watching two of her boys get hitched. The last couple of years also saw the birth of a few healthy grandchildren. At the wedding slash baby shower held at Pattie’s warm home, the house was packed with friends and family. I got the pleasure to sit next to Grandma Pattie (that is the picture I included above). That was a year ago and I believe she was quickly diagnosed with cancer after that.
When Lara called last night we talked and kept it business-like, no crying. I found out about the funeral and expressed how sorry I am. I could tell she had been crying because she sniffed a lot. Last night I had a hard time sleeping and that is very unusual for me because that is one thing I do well. I had a mental image consisting of rows after rows of people walking together on this expansive highway. Every so often someone collapses or the ground gives way and swallows a few more people. Every one keeps walking, but seem shocked by their fellow walkers disappearances.
Death is sometimes sudden and life is short. When I was tossing and turning in bed I thought about how I would need tissue at the funeral and in a dream I found an individual pack in a random purse. I was bummed when I woke up to find that that, in fact, I have no Kleenex. I guess this is one of those bridges that you have to cross when you come to it. I pray that God is taking care of Pattie now in Heaven. Maybe she was such a treasure here on earth that He wanted to have her close to Him. But we will miss her here.