OUR  BELOVED MOTHER, SO FULL OF LIFE, JOY, AND SPIRIT

MAY SHE REST IN PEACE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY MOTHER SHORTLY BEFORE THE CANCER CONSUMMED HER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY MOTHER AND MY DAUGHTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                      

 Arthurine was a beautiful person inside and out. She became a nurse and especially loved her job helping people. She was an exceptional mother, giving her all to her children. Her story is written in the book "Memoirs of Cancer," but at the time of publishing we thought her sojourn into cancer was brief and over. Unfortunately, her cancer returned just two years after the book was published.  She initially battled breast cancer. She had a radical mastectomy to remove the entire cancerous breast.  At that time it was believed all she then  needed was radiation treatments.  She completed 36 radiation treatments and we thought all was well.  She felt better and went back to enjoying her life.  But gradually health issues arose and had her again seeking medical help.  It started with simple pain behind her right eye. That pain became more intense and we noticed her right eye was sinking into its socket.  That prompted visits to eye doctors. Eventually, she began to vomit daily, and had serious fatigue. Her complaints became more frequent, and it prompted her children to take her to the Emergency Room at Northwestern Memorial Hosipital in December of 2011. After running numerous test, the NMH doctors discovered she had Metastatic Breast Cancer Stage 4.  The cancer had spread to her brain with 7 tumors, her bones, her liver, and her stomach. The pain behind her eye was from a tumor. She had a tumor behind both of her eyes.  The right eye became so bad that it had to be sewn shut to keep it from getting infection and worse due to dryness.  Eventually the left eye became painful and started sinking in as well.  By this time she was placed in Hospice. She tried chemo, but it began (in her case) to do more harm than good because her cancer was too widespread. She fought bravely, but her health deteriorated in the short span of 3 months. She went from looking like the pictures above to looking like the pictures below. She had continuous weight loss, pain and weakness. Eventually she could not walk or hold herself up. She became a shell of her former vibrant self.  This very personal information is being shared here for the purpose of helping other lives. Arthurine wanted you to see how the cancer affected her in the hope that others get cancer pre-screenings. She would want you to not waste time if you have suspicions about poor health or possible cancer in your own body. Many cancers can be treated if detected early enough.  She would want you to take good care of your health.  My sisters and I loved her deeply and miss her terrible.  We took care of her til the end.  She passed away on her birthday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trying to be positive during chemotherapy.                                                              Her weight loss was rapid.

 

 

 

 

                                               Both eyes sunk in from her brain tumors.

 

                                     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eventually the pains in bone, muscle, and her

head became too great. She had to be pumped                                                  

with pain meds constantly, and they made her

sleep. The sleep was preferable to the pain.