My sister and I lost our very best friend this past weekend, our mother Lorraine. She was our WHOLE world. The last year has been hard on her health. She had kidney disease, COPD, and mobility issues, but no matter what, she kept a smile on her face. She fought so hard to always be present for my sister and me. She's battled with pneumonia and pseudomonas a few times now, but has always gotten better. This time was too great. She was in the hospital for 20 days, almost sent home three times, but something constantly kept her there. She passed on March 22nd at 2:30 am, surrounded by myself, Brittany, Brandon, and a handful of hospital staff. She went on her own time. We were told we needed to decide on when to send her to hospice, but Brit and I couldn’t make that decision. We asked her to tell us what she wanted. Her last few days with us were not kind to her. She was on a BiPap machine and a feeding tube. She wasn’t able to eat or drink for many days. She was stuck in bed and depressed, and because of the COPD, she had high levels of CO2 in her lungs, causing an almost sedated state. I’m not sure if she thought everything was a dream or not. But when we got the call, we raced to the hospital, and I held her hand until her very last breath. The way I see it is she saw me for my very first breath, and I was there for her very last, and that somehow gives me comfort and peace.

Nothing will ever be the same. My mom paid a good majority of the bills because my sister and I took care of her and worked less so we could be with her more. I have never asked for help much before, but I’m asking now for anything that you may be comfortable donating so we can get through the next few months while we grieve and look for more hours or better work. I truly thank all of you in advance, and if you aren’t able to donate, please share this link on your page and pray for my family if you don’t mind. Thank you so much.