Honoring Crystal’s Life: Funeral & Memorial Fund.

Friends, Family, & kind hearted strangers,

It is with deep sadness that my brother and I share the unexpected passing of our Mother, Crystal.

She left this world far too soon after a sudden and aggressive battle with cancer. She was misdiagnosed for many months, leaving her extremely ill and out of work.

Prior to becoming sick, her strength, love, and selflessness touched so many lives - she spent years taking care of everyone around her, always putting others' needs before her own.

If you haven’t heard my Mothers story, please take a moment to read:

She spent her entire life taking care of everyone else - whether it be her children, her parents, her family or friends that had fallen ill, or the younger generation she trained at the hospital. She poured her heart into everyone and everything that she did.

My Mom became sick over the past year or so and it was heavily overlooked by her Doctors - who treated her for pneumonia for months before ordering a CT scan and finding Lung Cancer on May 8th. We immediately pushed for a PET Scan and an MRI on her Brain. We waited, and waited - and she got sicker and sicker. Two months later we received the PET Scans results that it had spread to her bones, adrenal glands, and lymph nodes. Still, no treatment allowed until an MRI on the brain is performed- waiting and waiting.

On July 8th she had a fall and my Brother & I rushed her to the Emergency Room and demanded an MRI on the brain. Sure enough, they found 4 METs on her Brain. I stayed with her in her room for 6 nights as we created a plan and got her feeling better.

With a steroid to help the swelling in the Brain, a blood thinner (after finding clotting in her lungs), and Oxygen.. our Mom was back. She was ready to fight this and LIVE.

We brought her home and it was truly one of the best weeks of my life with her.

We got a referral to Maine Med to start Brain Radiation on Thursday, July 17th. But within hours the surgeons called and said they needed to operate right away.

My Brother & I brought her to Portland and by the morning her symptoms were worsening. Off to surgery she went (but not without me plucking her eyebrows first).

After surgery, aside from opening her eyes a few times, our Mom never woke up. The Cancer had completely taken over, followed by a massive clot in her heart.

Sadly, like many who dedicate their lives to others, she was not financially prepared for something like this. We are now faced with the overwhelming challenge of planning her funeral and honoring her in a way she truly deserves.

It is with a humble heart that we ask for help through this process, if you’re unable to help, please share. Don’t just share the post, but share her story. Learn from it. Become in tune with your body. Advocate for yourself, and for your loved ones. Never be too scared to ask more questions. Take chances, do the things that bring you joy, spend time with the people you love, and live every single day like it could be your last.