And so she passes

Such a lovely lady Carol was, the mother of my daughter in-law Robin. She talked a mile a minute and the first time I met her on the phone I could not get a word in. She said of her daughter, "she is a nice girl." It made me laugh, it was as if she was saying don't worry about your son, he is marrying a nice girl. We spoke occasionally and met for family gatherings. She re-married a man who swept her away to Thailand and then sent her back home alone after he fell for a Thai lady, never to be heard from again. She survived the pain only to be diagnosed shortly afterwards with a far worse pain, ovarian cancer in the third stage. Following a neighbor of mine who died of the same, I felt then that Carol did not have a chance. She was brave struggling with an up beat attitude for 41/2 years trying to lick it. I would receive many humorous jokes over the Internet telling me how high her spirit was. She met another man just before she was diagnosed and this man stayed with her until the end. A true hero. Our grandson was to be bar mitzvah ed and it was Carol's goal to make the festivity even though she was heavily in treatment. She came up to me before the party began to say hello. She looked good but quite different, much more sophisticated  and very much more subdued. During the day she went from an almost bald head to wearing a wig for the evening party. She said she felt free without the wig and only started to venture out without it recently. She always had thick dark wavy hair. She danced at the party and seemingly had a good time probably knowing that this would be the last time she would see her family and friends. Two days after the party she checked into the hospital where she spent the last two weeks of her life surrounded by family and friends. Today she closed her eyes for the last time.

How incredible is the human mind, Carol undoubtedly willed herself to stay alive for the party

and to be photographed and then knowing it was her time, she let go.

God bless you Carol for your strength and attitude.  

Carol Sue Gershman