In Remembrance of Eileen.......my sister

Life is strange sometimes don't you think? Today I was talking with my husband about my night shift last night. I was telling him about the patients and how so many of them were restless last evening. I got on to talking about a patient who had a myriad of medical aliments two of which are cancer. Cancer of the prostate and the other Myelodysplasia Syndrome or better known as MDS.

I was telling him that the prognosis for the patient was grim and that doctors and medical team really should be talking with the family and talking about the patients code status and future treatments. I was telling my hubby how my colleague and I were talking about MDS and that was what my sister passed away with and the treatments she went through. When I was talking with my colleague I did a little research for her at the same time in order to help her understand the disease a bit better. It was difficult to do as it was so reminiscent of what I did when my sister was diagnosed with the disease. I wanted to know everything about it.

While I was talking to my hubby this morning about this, it hit me. Today is 4 years since my sister passed away. I never really thought about it until just this morning. I never had given any thought to that disease until this patient last evening. He is the first patient I have had with that disease since my sisters' passing. What were the chances of that? Having a patient that had that same disease and discussing it last evening and the realization coming to me today. It was my husband that drew this to my attention.

I cried. My dear sister Eileen. Oh how I miss her. She was a wonderful woman and friend to me. She always thought about everyone else. She dedicated her life to education and teaching special needs children. The month she was diagnosed with MDS she had just finished her Masters in Education. She volunteered for so many things. One of her biggest charities was a program called GATE, Global awareness through Education. She taught me so much about life, just in the way she lived hers. I was fortunate that I was able to take a leave from work and spend the last couple of months of her life with her. We spent a lot of time together. It just always seemed so ironic to me that she died from cancer. When my youngest daughter had been diagnosed with cancer she was there for me always. She would drive across town to come pick my daughter and I up and take us to an appointment and then spend the day with us. She was right by my side through it all.

When it came close to her passing my brother in law called me. I nursed her at home right up until she died. It was just her and I in her room when she passed. I held her, I sang to her, and I told her it would be alright. I told her daddy was waiting for her at the garden gate and she should go be with him now. I assured her that her boys would be alright, and with that she took her last breath. This picture was taken a month before she passed away. My dear sister.....gone but never ever will she be forgotten.

Eileen Brenda Gojevic April 1953 - March 2003