Posted by Sue's daughter, Katie
On Friday February 10, 2012, at 1 pm, my mom lost her two year battle with lung cancer. When she was given her terminal diagnosis in September 2011, we were told she only had a few weeks left but she fought so hard that most people were shocked to hear she was so sick. On Monday February 6, 2012, she took a turn for the worse and thankfully all my siblings were able to be here for her last week.
We spent our days and nights in my mom's bedroom with her, watching home videos, eating in bed, singing, telling stories, and also spending one on one time with my mom. Her last moments were very peaceful and she was surrounded by all her kids and some of her siblings. Just a few hours before she passed, Lauren played the guitar while we all sang (off key and slightly teary). Lauren sang
Heaven by Moonpools and Caterpillars after my dad passed away and she sang and played it again for my mom on Friday morning. It really was a beautiful morning. I don't think my mom could have asked for a better send off.
Iowa Hospice provided her hospice care and they were such an amazing group of people. Her nurse, her CNA, the chaplains, the massage therapist, the music therapist, her doctor, the social worker, the on call nurses-every single one of them loved mom and helped my mom through the hardest journey of her life. When hospice arrived after her death, there was not a dry eye in the house. My mom was not just a patient to them-she was a mother, friend, and fighter. We were blessed to have found such a compassionate organization to take care of our mom and to support our family through all of this.
We are all hanging in there and thankfully we have each other, our close friends, my mom's friends, and my mom's nine siblings. Even though she is gone, we feel her presence so strongly in the love and support we have received from everyone. I know she is up there with my dad looking down on us now. To look at this horrible situation as a positive one, my siblings and I now have two guardian angels who will guide us and keep us safe.
Thank you to everyone for all your kind words, thoughts, and prayers over these last few months and especially over these next few weeks while we grieve our tremendous loss. We are having a small private service on Saturday 2/18 and we plan to
celebrate her life with her closest friends and family. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial contributions directly to the family. Information can be found at www.hamiltonsfuneralhome.com
Thank you all for your love, support, and comments over the last two years. My mom was a blessed woman.
Love,
Katie
