Calling to the Next Journey

Diagnosis

I can recall exactly the day that my mom was diagnosed with cancer. It was in February 1999. . I was about to visit the Santa Anita Horseracing track for the first time with my friend Craig Jones.   A bunch of terrible thoughts  crossed my mind as I flew up to Seattle from California. I wondered why it was necessary to rush into surgery. After all, the cancer didn't just appear one day out of nowhere. It is something that grew over time. Needless to say, the pressure by the doctor to have immediate surgery was high and it was performed the next day.  The invasive surgery I suspect may have lead to an overall spreading of the cancer by weakening the rest of her body. 

The Battle

During the battle I thought my mom's involvement in chemistry may have caused the initial cancer diagnosis. As I think about it more, I wonder if there are other forces at work. 

Needless to say, my mom faced the cancer bravely. After a year the doctors reported her cancer was in remission. The chemotherapy had worked.  So many unfamiliar medical terms were mentioned, EPO tests, CEA scores, an endless list.    Shortly after the remission diagnosis the doctor  reported the cancer had resurfaced. This time spreading to the lungs, and eventually to her bones and the rest of her body. The day she found out it had spread to other parts of her body was spirit breaking to my mom I believe.  Any last amount of fighting spirit that was left, was extinguished when the cancer had spread to her brain. At this point it was just a matter of counting the remaining days. 

At this point my mom was preparing for her death. She knew it was coming, it was like a wave slowly coming ashore.

Evergreen Hospice

Mom spent her last 2.5 weeks on earth at the Evergreen Hospice in Kirkland, WA. 
The staff was very helpful in making the final moments as pain free as possible and as dignified as possible for both family and friends.

http://www.evergreenhealthcare.org

 

Reincarnation

My mom believes in reincarnation.  This helped her to face the unknown. She had read several books on the subject. This was very comforting to her. She also believed that Jesus, Mohammed, and others were prophets of God. A world religion. 

Freedom!

My mom was freed from her earthly body on March 19th, 2001. She left peacefully. Her body was cremated several days later. I personally witnessed the cremation.

The line between life and death is very fine indeed. On May 11th, 2001 I spread her ashes over Mt. Rainier via a chartered helicopter. The weather was unusually good for the Northwest. In fact, it was a perfect day. Practically no clouds in sight. Blue sky all around. Oddly enough the next day the clouds came in and the next day it was raining. As if some unseen force was making sure the ash spreading would go off without a hitch.

Approaching Mt. Rainier to spread the ashes, an almost perfect blue sky day

Clear cutting and deforestation around Mt. Rainier National Park

The helicopter pilot - Doug U. with myself, after having just returned from flight
My friends Tammy Lin and Mick Kavran accompanied me on the flight.

Shortly after arriving  home I learned that another helicopter had crashed and killed two people that same morning - while we were in the air. It also took from Seattle's Boeing Field.  It belonged to a company I had also looked at chartering a helicopter from, but for some reason I decided not to use them.

Link to news story

Booklinks

Some books I read during the battle.  Some were to help turn the tide, some were to help prepare for what lay ahead.