July 17, 2018:
My beloved wife and partner went home to be in the presence of God this morning. I was at her side holding her hand when she drew her final breath.
Marie was diagnosed with leukemia in early 2017. She endured several rounds of intense chemo-therapy through the summer of 2017. After this she was considered in remission and cancer free.
In the fall she received a bone marrow transplant as a measure to insure she remain cancer free. This is a difficult and demanding protocol that utilizes an overwhelming blend of medications that require a delicate balancing act of monitoring the blood chemistry. She was required to take several “immuno-suppressants” to prevent rejection of transplanted tissue. The risk is that this make the patient very susceptible to infection.
In January the leukemia relapsed. She embarked on another series of chemo-therapy treatments. The combination of treatments made her very weak and suspect to infection.
She contracted a lung infection last month. It took some time to narrow down the nature of this infection, it was finally determined to be a Fungal infection – the most difficult to treat. The doctors threw all they had at treating the infection but nothing was working. The infection continued to get worse. Last Friday I met with the doctors and they gave me the sobering news that they had done all they could and recommended placing her in home hospice care. This is what Marie wanted. She has been here since Saturday afternoon being cared for by my self, her brothers a very dear close friend and a home hospice nurse. This morning at 8:45 AM her fight was over.
Marie was loved and admired by so many and she touched many lives with her sweet spirit.
I am deeply grieved by the loss of my beloved wife.
I love you Marie and I always will.
I know you are signing with the angles now – as you should be.