It was on July 4, 2006 that my mom passed away, and so I've had a year to think about it, accept it, and sometimes forget that she's not around. Just a week ago my wife was showing me some handbags for sale at a charity event and I said "My mom would like that one." It was a kind of wild African pattern and she probably would have liked it. But it was still a weird feeling to think of her in the present when she has already passed.
I still get occasional emails and postings on this site. I hope it can be a valuable resource for others, either people who knew my mother or those who have cancer in their family. I've written about as much as I ever want to write about cancer for a while, so for new visitors I have marked a set of posts below as highlights. These are the items that I think may be most useful for anyone trying to understand the process or sort out their own feelings. I encourage you also to leave your comments on the blog by clicking on the comments link below any posting.
God bless everyone. Think of my mom today. And God bless Mary.
Note: I inadvertently let the domain name TuesdaysWithMary expire, breaking many of the links to photos and posts. I have fixed these now.
You can view the site using the navigation at the top and on the left hand side, or by using www.zurlocker.typepad.com/mary
Highlights
- Introduction - Why I wrote the blog
- Fast Facts about Ovarian Cancer - Sobering statistics
- Hurt - A Johnny Cash song summarized my feelings
- Long Dark Drive - Me and my thoughts driving from Miami in January
- What Do You Think of All This? - Visiting in the hospital
- Closure - Me, my mom and Bob Marley
- A Good Day - A conversation with my sister
- Good News - Back in Florida with my wife in February
- CA-125 Scores - The ups and downs
- Back in the Swing - My mother had a short recovery in April
- Palm Sunday - My mother is solemn but doing well
- Easter Monday - My mother outlives doctors' predictions
- Faith - My parents consider more chemo
- Sister Mary Jane - My views on medical marijuana
- Hospital again - Another trip back
- Decision - Deciding to abandon chemotherapy
- Back Home Again - With kind words from my mom's doctor
- The Beginning of the End - One more trip to Florida
- Taking a Trip - Understanding the final days
- The Last Goodbye - Final words to my mom
- Waiting - Camped out at my parent's house
- The Last Breath - And the saying of the rosary
- Funeral - Including a memorial tribute
External Resources
Today...I played 'When Irish Eyes are Shining'.
God Bless and take care
Kevin
Posted by: Kevin Hoeg | July 04, 2007 at 05:35 PM
Hi there....I am thinking of you and your family as I know this time last year was difficult. My best friend lost her mom to Ovarian Cancer July 9, 2006, so we are approaching the one year mark as well. I pray for you all....and hope that anyone who still has their mom will not take one minute for granted! "Each day is a gift....that is why we call it the present!" God Bless.
Posted by: Kristi | July 05, 2007 at 11:19 PM
My Mom passed away last Tuesday 11/27 after her three year battle with ovca. As I was sitting for her final hour on the edge of her hospice bed set up in our family room up in MT, I thought of all the Hail Mary's you said with your Mom in her last hours. I shared the end of life articles from your web site with my Dad and he was grateful for the information. I miss my Mom very much one week later, but I no longer have that sinking feeling I had each day when I would think of her suffering up in MT, having trouble walking and being sick from chemo.
Our Moms are in a better place now up in heaven and I must thank you again for the gift of your website. I hope you and your family are doing well.
Pam D
Posted by: Pam D in Dnever | December 03, 2007 at 06:57 PM
My apologies... I inadvertently let the domain name www.tuesdayswithmary.com expire. But you can still get to this site as:
www.zurlocker.typepad.com/mary
I will try to fix all the references, but you may notice some broken links and/or images.
--Zack
Posted by: ZUrlocker | May 11, 2010 at 12:40 AM