Remembering Reba

Before Christmas 2018 one of my older sisters called to tell me she had Colorectal cancer. At the time were very hopeful that surgery and treatments would work its magic and she would get better.

Throughout 2019 she had struggles, but around August when we visited she seemed to be in good spirits and felt better. However, after that visit things progressively went downhill. She was admitted to the hospital two times before the final time.

We visited the first time and again, great spirits. You could tell she was sick, but not that it had taken over.

The last hospital visit again was during Christmas 2019, I only took my oldest because my younger ones were sick, but that was the last time. I’m glad they didn’t get to go as she didn’t look herself nor was she awake enough to interact with all the family in the room.

After so many losses in my life, regardless of prayer and hope, I knew she wasn’t long for this world. The first full week of January 2020 she passed away from cancer which we found in 2019 was Stage 4. And even with the treatment reducing the cancer cells they had a tighter hold than we knew and spread.

I say all of this not to dash your hopes if you have cancer (whether the same or different). I’m saying this to remember my sister at this time. This time when she first called to tell me she was sick, this time when I last saw her alive. This time where I will remember the sweet, kind, and caring spirit of the person we lost. I remember my oldest daughter asking me why I didn’t take any pictures during the last hospital visit. I told her I have pictures of my sister from before and I preferred to remember her that way as opposed to what cancer took.