death

I've had a lot of young death in my life. Been exposed to a great deal of it.

Today is no exception.

Three and a half years ago, my sister-in-law (former, ex hubby and I are separated) got sick. Having trouble swallowing. Her son was almost a year old.

They found it was a growth in her esophagus, and thus started the surgeries. Biopsies then revealed stomach cancer. It had grown like crazy while she had been pregnant. Cancer thrives on duplication of cells, and that's what pregnancy is, big old production of cells.

Three years of surgeries, chemo, radiation, untested treatments, half of her esophagus removed, half of her stomach, 80% of her liver when it showed up there, but it grew back. It grew in her lungs, and most recently in her brain.

Yesterday, age 36, my sister in law died. She went into the hospital with pneumonia Friday, started to get better on Saturday, and yesterday she wasn't better, she passed on.

Her husband just called me to let me know, and to tell me how much I have meant to them over the years and over the time of her illness. We were close the three of us.

And now I can't stop crying.

Thirty six. It's not right. I hope her kiddo remembers her, she was terrific, baby of five. I adored her and I'm going to miss her so much I can't even tell you.

RIP and lots of unveggie meat slapping :-) (inside family joke)