LindaLee Francis' mom for story

I was with her almost the entire 4 days she was in the hospital and was able to call my two older sisters (there is just the 3 of us) in time for them to be there when our  mom passed.  I had my one sister take a few photos..literally minutes after she passed away.  Weird, morbid, whatever...that was our mom.  (Big tears right now...I am glad I am not trying to talk instead of type.)  I will say that the hospital room (she was home on Wednesday the 18th of July when she got the call with her diagnosis...I was there because I was driving her to a drs appt and I had already packed a bag. I wanted her admitted to the hospital because she was just failing and no one had any answers, she couldn't even walk without assistance, it was terrible. It was around 1:45 PM when her gyn called...time actually stood still as those words came over the speaker phone. My Mom just leaned her head into my chest. (Lots of tears right now...it's like it just happened)  Anyway, I told the gyn I was taking her straight to the hospital and had the gyn call her family dr and arrange for her to be admitted.  She didn't get into a room until Thursday around 9 PM! I stayed with her the whole time...omigosh, some of the nurses and staff were so mean to her...I was ready to go nuts.  By Friday morning, she was unable to speak anymore and could barely lift her hands. We had to resort to blinking to communicate with her.  I left Friday night and my middle sister, ShirleeAnn, stayed at the hospital with her.  My dad and oldest sister, JuneMarie, were there on Saturday and I came back around 4 PM Saturday the 21st of July...I hadn't slept since I got up Wednesday morning, but I came back ready to take care of her.  Well...the room got very dark and heavy...that's the best way I can explain it. My Mom was looking past me, like there were other people there and she tried talking like she was telling me something, but they were just loud moans and grunts and her eyes were so expressive.  When she finally passed, it was 6 AM...the room took on a whole different feeling.  Peaceful, bright and just calmness.  There is no double in my mind that it was her leaving her body that created that...my two sisters and I stayed with her for almost 2 hours after.  It was an honor to be there and hold her hand as she passed and tell her it was okay.  I don't have any regrets, if I spoke to my Mom 20 times in a day, I always told her I loved her. She was an amazing woman and a wonderful mom.  My 40th birthday was June 5th, 2007...I got her for 40 terrific years. Not that many people are so lucky.  4 days...it was such a whirlwind and none of us every expected it to be like that. Her brief suffering is a blessing...I know that many cancer victims agonize and are tortured with treatments while they waste away.  I know she was in pain for at least a year, she wasn't one to complain and I tried calling her family doctor, but he always dismissed anything I said.  She actually went for a vaginal ultrasound in May or June...and her gyn said she just needed an D&C!  Then in July, a urologist got involved and he had ordered a scan with dye (his physical examination and the test he ran in his office in July like 5 days before the diagnosis is what prompted him to order the scan that Monday...the 16th.  Then the call on the 18th and her gone on the 22nd.  Crazy.

Okay...I am sorry for the ramblings.  Let me know whatever you want or need from me, I would love to be able to make an impact with my Mom's story and save a life.

Thank you for asking me to contribute.

Kindly,
LindaLee (all one name...Momma gave her girl double Southern names!!) Francis

My Momma's name was Geraldine Bergman, she went by Jeri.  She was 67 when she passed away.  

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