my mother

[Erella Ganon]

Hello friends,

I wanted to let you know that my mom has passed into the final, very final part of her life. 

I wish it was a longer life and that she was with us for more of it.

She's comfortable but we think it won't be long before she passes. It will likely happen some time next week because she's been refusing food and her Alzheimer's has robbed her from the ability to even remember how to swallow food or medications. She's on IV for antibiotics, nourishment and pain. It is very sad to see her like this but we're there for her and holding her hand every day.

My sister, Monique and our friend, Lydia and I have been taking care of making sure she's being treated very well. 

She's in a great place, by this I mean the nursing home where she lives. 

I keep on thinking of things my dad said when he was dying. 

He said he knows people are going to a better place because none of them ever come back!

Both my parents had the funniest driest sense of humour that I am delighted and kind of shocked to see it emerge in my 18 yr old daughter Celeste.

My sister and I are going to organize a memorial for our mom. We're thinking perhaps that it should happen right after the funeral. If you'd like to send us a note that you'd like to read at the funeral or to have someone read, please let me or monique know.

monique Ganon <moni...@rogers.com>

I will send this group info about the funeral for those that want to attend, once we plan it.

Keep an eye out if this interests you.

My mom was a big part of my life so most of you who are reading this would have met her. I am also thinking about every one of the big parties that I threw here in this house and how mom was there.

She attended every art opening and loved music so much. 

Not just music, any kind of music. I remember she heard me playing a record of Baka pygmies that she really found inspiring. Janis Joplin, blues, old french chanson, there was no genre she didn't find delightful or completely unlistenable. Actually, I loved it when she wanted to describe in absolute detail every tiny aspect of some food or music she found distasteful.

Everyone enjoyed her company. None as much as we do, I suppose.

I send you love.

Erella

Isn't this a great picture of me as a child with my mom?

I don't know anything about this image. I saw it for the first time when I was going through her belongings after she'd been moved into a nursing home.

By that point she had passed the ability to give me any information about it but this remains one of my favourites of the two of us.

I love this photo of our parents.

Rosi the riveter!

This one was taken the year before I was born.

This one was taken about a month ago.

Erella Ganon

blog: www.erella.net

web: www.erella.com

Erella Ganon

blog: www.erella.net

web: www.erella.com

[Erella Ganon]

April 17 9:30pm update:

I sent this email earlier today but there have been difficulties with my email. I understand some people didn't receive it.

Everything is resolved now. Please feel free to send anything forward.

At the end of this afternoon, I was called from the nursing home where Rosette's been living for the last number of years. 

There was an urgency in the nurse's voice asking me to come to be our mother's bedside, that "she's leaving now".

Monique, Celeste and I drove there immediately. Monique forgot to take her purse along, she was in such a rush.

We found our mom there in the bed with her skin looking mottled and discoloured.

It is just wrong to have her look so tiny. We held her hand and kissed her forehead and told her how much we love her.

We even gave her the kisses for the people that sent love.

Her vital signs were going haywire. 39º fever and her elbows and fingers were losing colour. Her blood pressure was super high.

She looked remarkably calm and comfortable through this. 

We talked, laughed even told stories, I sang her favourite songs and we waited. 

The colour returned to her skin and her breathing became better, deeper and more consistent. 

We were sent home to wait more comfortably on our own. 

We'll see.

Thought I would give you an update.

I just checked with the nurse. 

Mom's nursing home is about 5-10 minutes away from here in case we're needed.

Mom looks good. Her colouring is excellent, her fever has gone and her oxygen saturation is back at 97%.

Sending love,

Erella