<p>My deepest sympathies. May your family find comfort in all your cherished memories and family love.</p>
<p>I’m so sorry for your loss. May you find strenght and comfort in your faith, family, and friends.</p>
<p>I’m very sorry for your loss. Keeping you and your family in my prayers.</p>
<p>Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with you and yours.</p>
<p>Condolences to you and your family Mom2CK. Your parents are together again and watching over you and yours the way they used to here on Earth. God’s blessings to you.</p>
<p>Hugs to you.</p>
<p>So sorry for your loss. You and your family will remain in my thoughts.</p>
<p>our thoughts and prayers continue to be with you. (((hugs)))</p>
<p>So sorry for your loss. (((Hugs))) to you and your family. Take care.</p>
<p>I am so sorry for your loss. I will continue to pray for you and your family. What a loving tribute to your Mom to have everyone together to support her as she passed away. Take care.</p>
<p>Sending my deepest sympathies to you and your family.</p>
<p>Sorry for your loss. Prayers for you and your family.</p>
<p>So sorry for your loss, M2CK. {{HUGS}} to you and your family. Please be comforted by the fact that you were all able to be with her as she passed…a mother could ask for nothing more. I will be thinking of you these next few days.</p>
<p>So sorry to hear the news. Our family’s deepest sympathies to you and your family. We will light another candle tomorrow at St. Michael’s. Stay strong.</p>
<p>So so sorry…our sincerest condolences on the loss of your dear mother, it was a blessing that you were there with your siblings to be with her.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your very kind words, thoughts, and prayers. I know that many of you have also suffered the loss of parents, so you know what this has been like. </p>
<p>My siblings and I are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support we’ve received. </p>
<p>We are so grateful to have had both of our parents during their long lives. My dad died last year at age 90. Mom was 82 when she passed. We really did think that we were going to have my mom around a few more years, but this last 2 weeks have been too much for her to overcome. </p>
<p>She had her first stroke 6 years ago. It was severe, but after intensive rehab she had a miraculous recovery with some lingering, but not major, issues. Then 1 and 3 years later, she had 2 more strokes…more rehab was needed, but she didn’t lose any more of her abilities. </p>
<p>Then she went 3 years without any strokes. She could bathe, dress, toilet, eat, talk and do most everything. She rode her recumbent bike 40 min per day to stay in shape.</p>
<p>She couldn’t drive anymore and she had trouble remembering certain nouns. She could never remember the word “purse”, so she’d say, “where I keep my money”. And, she couldn’t remember the word “bedroom”, so she’d say “where I sleep”. Her limitations were minimal.</p>
<p>Two weeks ago, she had another stroke, but again seemed to be ok. 24 hours later, she had another, losing use of her right side and speech. A few days later they moved her to rehab where she had her last and most severe stroke. She never regained consciousness. </p>
<p>I know that she would not have wanted to live without use of her limbs and speech. My mom was a “do-er” and never liked having people do things for her. She wouldn’t have liked having someone dress, feed, and help her toilet. We know that and it gives us comfort. </p>
<p>My mom was amazing. She played with us during the day, and would stay up late to do her chores. She raised all of her children, including one who has a very serious life-threatening chronic illness. And, because she worried so much about that child, she made a “pact with God” of sorts. My mom LOVED chocolate and all flavors of ice cream. About 40 years ago, she promised to give up those beloved treats as an offering to save my little sister. My mom never cheated…ever. The promise seems to have worked…my sister is married, has a wonderful career, and will be 50 in a few years. That was just one of many examples of how devoted she was to her family. My mom had amazing faith…saying the Rosary daily and frequent Novenas for various intentions.</p>
<p>I feel very bad that I didn’t fly out when she had the stroke 2 weeks ago. My plan (as it has been in the past) was to fly out right before she’d get out of rehab and stay several weeks helping her re-adjust to any new limitations. </p>
<p>Tomorrow, my family will gather for Thanksgiving with both grief and joy. Grief from losing our last parent, but thanksgiving for the many years we had with her and my dad. Her Rosary will be Friday night, and her Funeral will be Saturday. My parents have 24 grandchildren and many will be participating in the services as altar servers, doing the Scripture readings, and in other ways.</p>
<p>I am grateful that she did last nearly a week after that final stroke giving us all time to sit with her. The hospital was amazing…letting all of us hover around her 24/7…sleeping everywhere. There’s a special place in heaven for nurses, and now there’s one for my mom.</p>
<p>So sorry for your loss M2CK, may all your good memories comfort you and your family during the days ahead. As one of 8 children with a similar Mom of strength in our family I really enjoyed reading what a wonderful person your Mom was…thank you for sharing. It is obvious through you…all that you give to others, that she raised amazing children…may the 24 grandchildren always be shinning examples of your parents love!</p>
<p>The below poem made me think of of your family…and your Dad on the other side waiting to welcome your Mom…</p>
<p>Gone From My Sight
by Henry Van Dyke</p>
<p>I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.</p>
<p>Then, someone at my side says, “There, she is gone”</p>
<p>Gone where?</p>
<p>Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.</p>
<p>Her diminished size is in me – not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, “There, she is gone,”
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!”</p>
<p>my condolences</p>
<p>What a lovely, lovely tribute to your mom. It must have been a blessing that you could all be together with her. I hope you and your family can find peace. Take care.</p>
<p>trvlbug…that’s so lovely. I read it to my siblings this evening.</p>