An apology for the lapse in posts the past couple of
weeks. Much going on.
I am in the air...alone this time. I am on my way to Winnipeg this morning. I will meet my sister Erika and we will
travel to Portage La Prairie, the place of my birth, to say goodbye to my
mother’s sister.
On November 28th we received word that my Aunt
Gillian was diagnosed with cancer…late stage cancer. Tumors were present in her liver, both
ovaries and both in and out of her colon.
Efforts to address an obstruction in her bowel failed and a second
surgery was too much for her to manage.
She died 13 days after diagnosis.
Monday the 19th we will gather to remember, to celebrate and
to say goodbye.
I have to say that this has been a difficult few weeks. Gillian’s diagnosis and death has stirred
many memories and feelings. It has been
almost 20s since my mother died, but in these past weeks, it has felt new and
raw once again. My mother was one of three girls. My grandmother (94) lost my
grandfather when my mother and her two younger sisters were little ones,
raising them on her own. My grandmother
and Aunt Jocelyn remain. Aunt Gillian
has two children, Scott and Brianne.
Scott is married and he and his wife Laura welcomed Gillian’s first grandbaby
only days after her passing.
I will be singing for my Aunt as I have done for all of
those I have lost over the years. There
is a joy in being able to do this. I am
thankful that I have Randy Lindbloom genes and am able to share this with
family and friends.
Aunt Gillian, Jayme, Aunt Jocelyn, Erika and Kir
On the Ginny front, we had a MARVELOUS weekend in
Minneapolis. We attended Fun Home
(touring Broadway musical). I loved
it! Gal Pal Jocelyn (yep there are two
Jocelyns in my world. Aunt Jocelyn and
Pal Jocelyn) joined us for the evening – a gift. We ate wonderful meals and spent time working
on Ginny’s latest writing project. Gal
Pal Joce is co-authoring and her husband Byron, the artist, is illustrating. I get to publish. There is much joy in this project. Saturday morning Pal Joce and I slipped out
for some shopping – great fun.
This morning I dropped sweet Gin off at the shuttle and we
parted ways. She has been managing well,
although her pain continues to increase and there have been several pump
adjustments made in the past weeks.
Ginny describes her pain as pressure that grows from
pressure to pain and then to agony. Most
days she can find relief with meds and standing or stretching out. If asked, she says that she feels like she is
sitting on a honey crisp apple (not sure why she selected honey crisp). Gin believes that the apple is indeed
growing as the pressure has increased and more meds are required to keep her
comfortable. She is not scheduled for a
scan until January 24th. I
will be inquiring on her behalf on Monday about moving the date up as symptoms
are changing.
I return Tuesday evening with two school days left before
Christmas break. I am so looking forward
to waking up Thursday morning, knowing that at the end of that day, there will
be rest.
We will be home for the holidays. Gin’s brother Dan and our dear friend Sue Blough
will spend the season with us. We are
looking forward to their arrivals later this week.
With all that is happening there is still a sweetness in
this season for the Lindbloom-Larsens. We
are living each moment as we enter it.
We are focused on family and friends and we are loving each other with
intention and tenderness.
Time feels short and in some moments that is
overwhelming. It is then that gratitude
takes over, gratitude for love, for life, for the time we have had and for the
days ahead.
Enjoy the season, love with intention and tenderness…
Gratefully
Kir
