Our attendance secretary, a fixture at school, lost her battle with cancer last night. As a school, we have rallied around Lil and her family, holding a benefit night in November, bringing in $35,000-which sounds great until a family is paying for a long battle with this insipid beast!
Lil has been SO POSITIVE throughout the year. She was told in September that the cancer she'd been treated for a few years ago was back. She stuck her chin out and said, "OK, I'll just take care of it!" She started treatments, which kicked her butt more than she anticipated...but when she was hurting, she would just enlist the help of someone at school. One teacher, who teaches yoga on the side, taught her some poses to help her relax. Another staff member who is in massage therapy school got busy helping her work out the pain in her back. She finally reached the end of her treatments and had a clean bill of health in January.
Near the end of February, she started having some labored breathing. She went back in and they told her it was back. This time, they said the tumor in one of her lungs had grown so big, there was nothing they could do, so they would stop chemo and just help her get comfortable... And so she would be at work with a portable oxygen tank to assist her breathing.
This amazing woman continued to talk about the future like it was a sure thing. She always told people not to worry because "she was a fighter!"
Lil died last night long before anyone was ready to accept. We were just shell-shocked today. I still haven't wrapped my mind around it.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
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2 comments:
I'm so sorry. The people at work grow to be like family - in some ways, closer than family since you're with them so many hours every day. Everyone must be feeling stunned, like there's a huge hole in your midst. No one will ever replace Lil. Here's a hug for you - and anyone else who needs it.
Doesn't seem right not to write something, but I don't know what to say other than I'm sorry.
And, selfishly, it makes me so grateful about your mom's health.
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