Missing Aunt Mary

My heart is heavy at the thought of losing my Aunt Mary. She has sustained an incredibly courageous two year battle with pancreatic cancer. If you know anything about pancreatic cancer you know that the odds against surviving even one year past your diagnosis are very slim.

As long as I can remember during my childhood we spent a least a few days every summer at Cape Cod. She introduced us to body surfing, to moon snails, to "the flats" in the bay at low tide, to sand mazes, to the joy of golden retrievers and tennis balls. At Cape Cod we've swum with her, fished with her, biked with her. We've eaten lobster and bluefish and donuts from the Hole in One.

We also saw her every year at my grandparents' house for Thanksgiving. We took endless dog walks around the various ponds in all sorts of weather. Aunt Mary taught us how to play spoons and "I doubt it," entered into all of our academic and athletic achievements, listened and cared about everything we shared with her. She attended every family wedding, every graduation, she even visited us in Italy and in Prague. When I had my own children she faithfully remembered every birthday, every year, sending personalized home made cards.

In spite of her body being ravaged by the unspeakable evil of cancer, much of her vibrant personality would still shine through. The last time I saw her my sister and I visited her at Cape Cod. In spite of her being weakened by more than a year of chemotherapy she took us and the dogs on long walks in the New England winters. My sister and I laughed that we still could not keep up with her. She still showed her old interest in our lives. I can hear her voice , " yeah Nan," " you bet!". Still caring about others and encouraging them.

The world is a much poorer place without her. I miss her


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