There is so much I want to talk about and mention, so many things going on in my mind, but all I can think about is last week.
I had met Beth once in the Mall. Although they work in different departments and on opposite shifts, my husband had mentioned her a few times and remarked on what a kind, gentle spirit she was and how he had been good friends with her at work. Three weeks ago, he came home from work with bad news. He mentioned how he had been working with her closely on some internal audit details and how he had been standing behind her when she made a call to her husband. He works there too. They wanted to work together to be close to each other. They’d spent all their free time together out in their small piece of land, tending the few heads of cattle they owned; it’s what they loved doing.
She spoke in hushed tones:
“Can you come get me? I don’t feel well.”
When he got to her desk, she whispered:
“There’s something wrong, I’m losing my sight, I’m going blind.”
As he was relating this to me, my initial thought was, ‘oh no, diabetes?‘
They then left and went to the local hospital, where a doctor told her she was having an allergic reaction to coffee — another reason I have blatant disregard for the local health care system and its staff here.
Unsatisfied with the diagnosis, her husband got her in to see a specialist 45 miles away, three days later, where they rushed her into Chemotherapy that day after they discovered she had acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) — the most aggressive of its kind.
Last Thursday morning, I got a worried call saying she had suffered a brain hemorrhage and was now in ICU.
She died that afternoon.
I can’t help but wonder how many reminders I need before I grasp the fragility of life(?). This woman was alive two weeks ago, not knowing those were her last days. She was just 39, with a college-aged daughter. And her husband. The love of her life has to just carry on. Keep going to work. But for what now?
Everyone has a right to their own thoughts and belief systems, but for me, it’s hard to fathom that colleagues are saying, “she’s gone, he’ll never see her again.” What kind of hope for the future does that give? It doesn’t. What are we living for, if not for something far better than our imaginations can take us? If that is true, all the love we share with others is null and void and for nothing. It can’t be. It isn’t.
Although I didn’t know her, it has been a eye opener for me. A time to continue to appreciate and validate those in our lives. A time to make the most of what we have and take nothing for granted. A time to live in the moment and not rush to the next thing. Life is too precious not to.
a Brit different 
It makes you want to hold on to all things dear in your life. And realize how blessed you really are. I’m sorry for your husband’s friend’s family.
Wow. I’m speechless.
I’m sorry for that family’s loss!
I’m going to hug my family now.
Wow. I have been really thoughtful lately of a friend of mine that passed from cancer. It’s such a hard thing for me because all she ever wanted was to be a mom. She couldn’t take care of her son by herself from the time she gave birth, and she passed around his first birthday… This devastated me, but I know it’s challenging my spirit, encouraging me to push myself to gain faith – to learn and grow from this experience…
If only I could, I feel a little stuck.
i’ll be back after i hug my daughter and my husband.
i’d hug the rest but they aren’t within reach.
That is stunning! It does show you how fragile our lives are.
Moments like these are not gentle reminders . . . they are the harsh truths that force us to hold what is dear and never, ever take for granted the life we have, the lives we love . . .
I am so sorry for this families loss. It is a kick in the butt to show those around you just how you feel. I need to go apoligize to my hubby now and hug my daughter.
That is just tragic. So sudden. So young. I am at a loss for words.
It really does put things into perspective.
Oh, so sad and tragic. Death is never easy – but, her circumstances make it harder. She was so young and it was so sudden. I’m sorry for the family’s loss.
Thank God he’ll get to see her again, someday.. That’s the only hope we have! But we do need to cherish our friends and family here, now, while we can.
hugs,
Jean
Oh my. That’s really scary. I hope her family is able to recover well.
Oh my goodness. You are so right. My health with my weight is horrible right now. I keep wondering what it will take for me to get my butt in gear and starting watching, truly, what I’m putting in my mouth and start at least walking for 45 minutes after work. I’m only 26–27 next week–so I don’t need to make things worse for myself down the road.
I’m sorry to hear about your husband’s coworker. That’s just horrible. But maybe this little wakeup call will encourage others, and me, to do something about their health that they can actually control.
so TERRIBLY sad. gives us all perspective. Allergic reaction to coffee?????????
Oh! That has brought tears to my eyes! How fragile indeed…
A side note to mumof4 regarding allergic reactions to coffee: that is actually more possible than it sounds (though not in this particular case). Coffee poses two distinct allergy risks: the first because it is a bean, and therefore related to peanuts, which is the most common and deadly food allergen. My daughter has a peanut allergy and we were warned to be wary of coffee for this reason. The second risk is because coffee is often clarified by being filtered through egg-shells, and therefore poses a risk to anyone with an egg allergy — again I know this because both my daughters have egg allergies, so we have to be wary of coffee for that reason as well. Hope that helps.
Thank you for posting that. She was one of those special souls whose time came all too soon.
Alas stories like this are all too common.
Breaks my heart.
This post caught my eye initially because of the daffodils, they were in full bloom outside the hospice when my Mum died. They always remind me of her and her battle with cancer.
She also died too young (55). Life is precious, she taught me so much in her last few months, we should all go and hug our families and friends – just incase.
My fellow on Facebook shared this link with me and I’m not dissapointed that I came here.
The game was at the old Sam Houston Coliseum (demolished in 1998, and formerly a downtown 9,200-seat arena for rock concerts, hockey, and wrestling).
It took for the Cavaliers returning to aggressive drives to the basket and overtime heroics to pull out the win.
He doesn’t strike out excessively and should hit for a decent average, though he also doesn’t walk very much either.
Another area of concern in the secondary is at strong safety where the veteran Roman Harper has resided the last two seasons.
But alas, the Buccaneers had one of their most disappointing offensive performances of the year.