World Cancer Day and Cholangiocarcinoma Awareness Month: Wish We Didn't Need Either of Them

Hi Everyone,

Well, today is World Cancer Day. It is a day to promote awareness and remember all those that it has taken, those fighting, and those that have won. I wish we never had to have a day like this and that their was no such word as cancer. It is also Cholangiocarcinoma Awareness Month. I definitely wish their was no such word as Cholangiocarcinoma because then Lauren would still be here. But cancer does exist and we must fight for a cure. Hopefully, we will see it in our lifetime.

The holidays are over and I wanted to decorate Lauren's grave with something festive for Valentine's Day. Lauren loved every holiday and always made them special. Valentine's Day was directed mostly at Gio, but we usually got some leftover cookies that she made. She was always making cookies!! So, I made a heart shaped wreath, and bought a lantern that would hold a candle. Mark had looked at grave candles online and they are so expensive. I found an inexpensive but nice one at Flower Factory. I have a ton of huge candles, so they will go to good use. We will always have a candle burning at Wo's grave. This makes Mark so happy, especially when he goes to her grave every morning before work. I usually go after work because I cry every time I go there and I don't want to look a mess at work. We went shopping last Saturday and found these really cool LED lights that look like starbursts and change color. I knew Wo would love them. Of course, when I was putting them together I busted one, but Mark fixed it as usual! You can see one is missing the starburst at the top in the picture. I also found a pink twisty thing that twirls in the wind. Her grave looks beautiful. I posted this on Facebook, but for some of you this is your first look at this.

We are supposed to get a big snowstorm tonight. I hope it doesn't get too bad. I cannot wait until spring!!

Kristen had posted about Cholangiocarcinoma Awareness Month on Facebook and Lauren's surgeon, Dr. Sonnenday, posted a very sweet message. He wrote: Lauren lives on in many ways, but inspiring us to find the answer to this disease is a mighty one. I think of her every day. He tried so hard to help her and we are so grateful for his effort. I really miss taking Wo to U of M for treatments and doctor visits. I felt like we were really doing something to kill her cancer. We had a lot of special moments there. We found sandwiches in a vending machine there that we liked better than the cafeteria food. There would usually only be one of the ones that we both like best, but I would always make sure Lauren had it. She would always laugh at me when I would sit there and pretend pout because I had to eat the crappy sandwich. Wow, crazy to say that I miss her chemo days!! I miss everything about her. 

I was going through old pictures and I found this one that I love. It was windy and my hair was going crazy. Wo was trying to help get it under control. I miss every moment we ever spent together, but at least I have some pictures and my memories. That is about it for today. Thanks for continuing to be interested in what I write. Love to all of you,

-Pam

 

I Wish The Bad Memories Would Go Away

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all doing well. Our family is doing ok. Not great, just ok. Winter is a depressing enough time as it is and then add on grieving a daughter and sister. Not fun.

 I had a wonderful lunch yesterday with my dear friend, Debbie. We sat and talked and talked, for about 3 hours!! She has always been there for me and is a true friend.

PLEASE DON'T READ THIS NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU ARE EASILY UPSET.









I told Debbie that besides just missing Lauren, I wish I could get the bad stuff out of my head. I close my eyes and see Lauren laying in her hospital bed with so many tubes and the respirator. I see her body swollen so much that her poor legs look like they will split open. I see her involuntarily open her eyes and the whites are pure red.I see a blank stare and wonder if she was still there. I see her in her coffin and her mouth doesn't look right. I wonder why it is like that. I remember how cold her body was and still to this day wonder if she is cold. I wonder if she wants to come back to us and can't. I wonder if she cries for us as we cry for her.I know heaven is this glorious place, but I just can't wrap my head around that yet. I hope one day I can.











I miss the everyday time I spent with Wo. Making her scrambled eggs with cheese the way she liked them and being the only one that could make them just right. Going to the grocery store and out to lunch. Trying to lose weight together. I remember the time we tried Alli, a diet pill that would make you "shart" if you ate too much fat. We were on our 2 mile walk and all the sudden, I had to go and we had to cut through yards in the neighborhood to get home in time. We were laughing so hard and I was in pain. I miss that wonderful laugh of hers. I miss watching tv shows with her, especially funny shows. She would laugh so hard and that me laugh more than the show! I miss her and Gio teasing each other and then it escalating to tickling and wrestling. I found it annoying at the time, but would give anything to hear them again.

I feel like I have just been through a therapy session! Thank you all for continuing to read this blog. It really is my therapy. I can say whatever is on my mind and I feel better afterwards. I also feel I am letting you know what it feels like to lose a child. Just as I thankfully do not know what it is like to lose a parent or sibling, many of you hopefully do not know what it feels like to lose a child. I know I probably upset some of you that read "the paragraph" and for that I am sorry.

 I think this is the thing I will miss the most. Wo and I loved the beach and we would sit on our little beach chairs right at the point where the water met the beach and we would bake away in the sun. This is us on our last time at Myrtle Beach.

 

 

That is about all I have for now. As always, I will leave you with a pic of Wo. I am going to find one that catches my eye. Until next time...

Love,
-Pam

Love that face!!

I Got Nothing...But I Can Always Talk About Wo!!

Hi Everyone,

I know it is time for a new post, but I must be having what they call writer's block. I can't think of a darn thing. So, I decided to just start typing in hopes that something might pop into this tired, old head of mine. Still nothing. Hmmmmm. I guess it is because this time of year is so boring. Every year this time of year makes me just want to sleep the time away. When Lauren was alive, she still managed to brighten up days with her pizzazzy style. It makes me smile when I think of Ms. Bling.
Here are some examples:



Sequin shirts and earrings the size of Texas!

Hot pink and purple highlights and ear bling!

 

Eyeshadow to match the dress.

Fancy purses!

 

Crazy high heels!

 

Movie star sunglasses and bright pink lipstick!

 

Never a dull moment with Lauren around. She lit up a room like no other and I'm sure her star is one of the brightest in heaven. I found this little cartoon and it describes Lauren to a "T".

 

Wo was one of a kind and will never be forgotten.

Nothing much going on around here. The family is all fine. I guess I better go get all my Christmas stuff put away. Yes, that is right. I still haven't put it away. I am a bit of a procrastinator. Until next time, I hope you are all in good health, safe, and happy.

Love,
-Pam

50 Things About Wo

Hi Everyone,

Happy New Year! Last year was the worst year ever for our family, so we are hoping this year will be much better. New Year's Eve was very difficult to get through. I made dinner at home as usual and we watched the New Year's shows on tv. I saw all the people on tv laughing and smiling and I wondered when we will ever be happy like that again. I hope so much that one day we will be able to laugh and smile like that with joy in our hearts rather than sorrow. It really broke my heart to know that 2013 was the last year Lauren will ever know. She had so many plans for happy times in 2014, especially her getting married to the love of her life. I pray every night that she is happy in Heaven, but I have a hard time believing she is happy without Gio or her family. Since the holidays are winding down, I hope we will be able to feel some better, but I just don't see that happening quite yet. Lauren is constantly on our minds and we feel such a sense of loss and heartbreak. Since this blog is about Lauren, I thought it would be kind of fun to tell you more about her. So, I will tell you 50 things you may or may not know about Lauren. Here goes!!

1. She was born on March 6th, Mark's birthday!

2. She hated mushrooms.

3. She loved watching shows on the Disney channel.

4. She hated clowns and was terrified of them.

5. She could hit a baseball really far.

6. Wo loved to swim and could swim like a fish.

7. She was 5'9" tall.

8. Her favorite colors were black, red, and white.

9. She loved boy bands like 'NSync, O-Town, and One Direction.

10. She always had a smile that could light up a room.

11. She always wanted to be Italian.

12. She once dyed her hair black.

13. Wo loved mac and cheese.

14. She couldn't stand people that were fake or out for their own glory and could spot them from a mile away.

15. Lauren loved to bake, especially cookies.

16. She loved anything blingy and sparkly.

17. Her favorite flowers were red roses.

18. The cologne she liked the best was Lucky.

19. She loved spending time at her Grandma Tommie and Papa Ron's house.

20. When Lauren went shopping and found something on sale, she wouldn't just buy one. She would buy one in every color.

21. Lauren always wanted a Scion XB.

22. She did not like scary movies and was the most scared of Michael Myers.

23. She liked to drive fast and take corners even faster!

24. She loved Coach purses and thought she found her dream job when she landed a job at a Coach store, only to realize she hated high pressure sales and enjoyed working in the stockroom the best.

25. Diet Mountain Dew was her favorite and it was the first thing she asked for after her first surgery.

26. She did not like school at all and was so happy once she graduated.

27. She always looked up to her big sister, Kristen, and loved her very much.

28. She bought tons of high heels but rarely wore them because she felt like a giant.

29. She had a passion for beauty, and could put make-up on and look beautiful like no other. She also had a natural beauty and looked great without make-up as well.

30. She did not like when strangers got too close to her. She would give them the "back off" look.

31. She had the messiest bedroom I have ever seen.

32. She had a knack for sewing and could just whip things up.

33. She wanted to have 6 boys and name them all Italian names.

34. Lauren loved candy, especially super sour candy.

35. She loved huge earrings and is the only person that could pull them off without looking totally ridiculous. If I had to guess, she has over 200 pair.

36. She loved her baby brother, Ryan, and would do anything for him.

37. We have three dogs, but her favorite was Penny. Penny would always sit right with Lauren when she was sick and sleep all night right next to her in her bed.

38. Wo never complained when she was sick. She was always the strongest one in the family to deal with her cancer and always believed she would get better.

40. She always wanted to be a cashier when she was little and wanted a real cash register.

42. She broke her arm twice. Once when she stood up in a baby swing as she was going away from me and fell out and once when she was climbing up the front porch to get away from a dog while on roller skates.

43. She thought her Aunt Linda and Uncle Wayne were hilarious and loved them so much.

44. She loved when Gio's Mom made her espresso and she got all hyper.

45. She had great friends and loved having parties with them at Gio's house.

46. Her laugh made everyone else laugh.

47. She loved to shop and would come home with things for all of us that she knew we would love.

48. She welcomed the new people that came into our family, Bruce, Steph, and Katie, and loved them like family.

49. Her favorite person in the whole wide world was Gio. I think this year would have been their 9th year together. They were so adorable together. I loved him like he was my own. I still do, but never see him anymore. They were to be married Feb. 23rd of this year. It would have been the happiest day of their lives.

50. Family was everything to Wo. And she was everything to us.

This is just the tip of the iceberg with Lauren. I could go on and on with little nuggets about her. She was so much fun to be with and we will never be the same without her. God bless our dear daughter in heaven. My hope is that nobody else ever has to feel the pain we are feeling. I wish you all the happiest, best year ever. Thank you for continuing to read my blog as I keep Lauren's memory alive.

Love,
-Pam

Last year. Wo was so excited for the future!

     

Everything Is Different

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas with family and friends. Our Christmas was nice, but so different this year. We had Christmas with the whole family (my sister and her family, my parents, and our whole family) on Sunday at my Mom and Dad's house. This was the only day our whole family could be together. Kristen and Bruce had to work on Christmas so we didn't get to see them. One of the bad things about being a doctor is that people need you every day, not just when it is convenient!! I am happy they were helping others though. We don't have a traditional meal when we all get together at my Mom and Dad's. We all bring snacks. I think we were all in a cheese coma by the time we left!! Here are a few pics of our Christmas together.

Bruce and Kristen, Grandma Tommie and the backs of Steph and Ryan.

Katie, Matt, Michael, and Wayne (My sister, Linda's, family.) Little Stinky is laying next to Wayne.

 

Ryan and Stephanie ( Linda in the background being Santa).

 

Mark with a beautiful snowglobe from Sis and Bruce.

Sis and Bruce with presents wrapped in Boston Terrier paper from Stephanie.

My Mom and Dad came down to our house on Christmas Eve and stayed overnight. I am so happy they were with us. I think we would have been so sad if it would have been just Mark and I, Ryan and Steph. We had lots of food on Christmas Eve and a huge brunch of sausage, egg, and cheese casserole, cheesy potatoes, and coffee cake. Before we ate and opened gifts, we went to the cemetery to see Wo. Mark and I had taken a lantern up to her grave the night before. It burned all night. Others had candles lit at their loved ones gravesites. We miss Wo so much, but know she is in a perfect place. They say that people that have passed give us signs that they are around us through coins, feathers, time, and butterflies, ladybugs, etc. Well, in this past week I looked at the time on my register at work for no reason. Once it was 1:11, and then it was 3:33. Yesterday, I happened to look at the stove and it was 4:44. Crazy, huh. There was a ladybug on the ceiling yesterday and one on my blanket as well. You might all think I am nuts to believe in this stuff, but if you have lost someone, it brings enormous comfort to get these signs. I always smile, chuckle to myself, and say thanks to Wo. Here are a few pics from yesterday.

Saying hi to our precious Wo.

This is the first time my Mom and Dad saw Lauren's stone. They loved it!!

 

Our beautiful tree.

 

So happy they were here with us!!

For many years we took pictures of the kids sitting on the steps before they opened their presents. We couldn't deal with only having poor Ryan in the photo this year, so we have retired the idea. One year Sis had to work and couldn't be here on Christmas. We thought that was sad. Now, with Wo gone, it is way too painful. Here are some wonderful memories from years past.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a nice time opening presents. My Mom and Dad left to go to Linda and Wayne's house. We watched Christmas movies all day. I think my favorite is Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase. The Santa Clause is up there too. We had a quiet dinner. I was more upset the days before Christmas than the actual day. Even though I missed Wo and seeing Sis and Bruce, I felt kind of peaceful. Grief is a very strange thing. It hits you at the weirdest times. I am grateful that it didn't hit too hard yesterday. I hope you all appreciated the time you spent with loved ones, because it is by far the greatest gift we could ever receive. God bless you all and have a wonderful New Year!!

Love,
-Pam

Missing Wo

Hi Everyone,

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. I am just not in the holiday spirit, but still trying to keep with tradition for Lauren's sake and the rest of my family. I am missing the JOY and excitement our family used to have during the holiday season. I guess grief takes over most things. I hope this will be temporary because life won't be much fun if it stays this way. This is the reason I have not been writing posts. I hate being a Debbie Downer and that is what I am right now.

I did go out and get a job. I really don't like it, but hey, it helps pay the bills. I put on my biggest smile and happiest attitude with my customers. They have no idea how sad I am on the inside. It is pretty exhausting pretending to be happy. I know Mark knows how I feel because he does the same thing each day, except he loves his job. Great people that really value his knowledge and expertise. He really deserves that. He misses Wo and is having just as hard of a time as I am.

Lauren's gravestone was finally done and delivered. We had a hard time getting a picture that we loved. The artist that etched the stone finally drew a sketch that Mark and I both loved. It must have been so hard for her to try and capture Lauren's personality with never meeting her or seeing her in person. We love the stone very much and feel better when we go to the cemetery. It is nice seeing a picture of Lauren and being able to touch it. Her eyes seem to follow us wherever we stand. I think she would love the stone and the way we have her gravesite decorated.

 

Kristen and Bruce came home to visit last weekend. We had a nice time with them. They took us to Bonefish Grill on Saturday night. The food was delicious and the company was even better!! Stephanie and Ryan were also able to go with us.

Ryan and Stephanie

 

Sis and Bruce

 

Ryan and Sis

I talked about our traditions a while back. We have a cheesy angel I bought way back before Mark and I were even married at a People's Drug in Summit Mall. We have had it as our tree topper for years. I changed the topper a few years back and of course the kids had a fit about it. So, I kept the angel and put it with my other figurines but did not want it on the top of the tree. We bought this fancy angel that changed color. This year, when I went to put that tree topper up, it fell apart and somehow I busted the wires off of it. So, guess what is on top of our tree? You got it. The old, raggedy angel. I wonder if Wo had something to do with this!! Here is our sad looking angel. It's funny how beautiful it looks to me this year. I am happy it is on top of our tree.

I am sure going to miss wrapping presents and baking cookies with Wo this year. She was so much fun to be around. I miss driving her to Michigan for doctor appointments and chemo. I miss going to the grocery store with her and out to lunch. I miss getting her pills for her before bed and tucking her in. I miss taking care of her. I know she is with us, but I wish so much I could see her and touch her.

I wish you all the happiest of holidays. Please tell your family members you love them often. There is nothing more precious.

Love,
-Pam

Lauren took this picture of herself after she had her Y-90 radioembolization. She had so much hope that she would get better. This picture breaks my heart and makes me cry every time I look at it because she was so brave.

Just Checking In

Hi Everyone,

I just thought I would let you know that everything is ok. I got a job and I am worn out when I get home. This is the reason for new new posts lately. Hopefully, I will write a new post early next week. Mark's job is going great. I am not loving mine, but hey it's a job!! Lauren's headstone is in the final stages and almost done!! The tree is up! This time of year totally freaks me out. Way too stressful. Mark and I are having a difficult time missing our Wo. She loved the holidays and always brought such enthusiasm and excitement to our home. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Talk to you soon.

Love,
-Pam