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Tribute to my Mom

We tend to take life for granted, but we never foresee, nor will we ever admit that the path of
our lives can change unprovoked and unexpectedly forever in a heartbeat. Sadly, I was a witness to this exact scenario when my mom was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2009. She was quick to discover that she would urgently need to begin chemotherapy treatments. Even still my mom would proclaim that "Cancer picked the wrong Diva". It didn't take long to gain a truthful understanding of how defenseless we all really are against this demoralizing antagonist! Sadness of the situation began to overshadow all other emotions, but even still as hopeless and as helpless as I felt, I also knew that I had to do something to honor my mother. 

I discovered the Lymphoma Research Foundation and I was amazed by all of the outstanding work that they were doing in their field of expertise. Armed by a strong desire to get involved I knew that treestorySm would be the right vehicle to accomplish the goal that I had set forth. To    this day my mission continues as I aim to increase the familiarity and the awareness of the Lymphoma Research Foundation.  It has been my hope to create an awareness of all that they are doing while at the same time give their foundation the opportunity to accept donations in the honor of my mother's name.

It has been dreadfully painful to watch and witness as the devastation and destructive nature of this appalling disease over the past two years. It has continued to take the wind right out of her sails at each and every turn. Every time that my mom felt that she had proceeded forward she would soon discover that the advantage would still remain on cancer's side! I am so proud of my mom's courage, her strong will and her sense of pride. The memories of my past began to take on a brand new perspective. The history of my life would unfold right before my eyes.  My reflections back into those earlier times made me realize that I would not have traded any part of my past for any of the other fruits that life could have offered me.  I understood just how very fortunate I was to have been reared from this family tree.

Year number three came in and it seemed to momentarily offer a positive spin. For a brief moment it appeared to offer a very slight glimpse of hope when my mom was scheduled to begin yet another round of chemo. This round was supposed to provide the most toxic concoction to date. This was going to be the cocktail of all cocktails. Unfortunately this toxic concoction nearly killed my mother and it had to be stopped immediately. Before this round my mom never got sick or was affected in any way by any of the previous rounds of chemo. This was the first round of chemo that she couldn't tolerate.  Once and for all suddenly all signs of encouragement disappeared for good.  After numerous rounds of chemo and radiation all of which had only taunted her cancer briefly, but never scared it away for good, she was told that there was nothing else that could be done for her. We all know that we're going to die one day, that's inevitable, but I can't for the life of me ever quite imagine how it must feel to know exactly when that will be!

Throughout the progression of this entire process I learned so much more about who my mother was as a person prior to cancer rearing its ugly head in her life.  I discovered that when she came face to face at the hands of this killer she never once wavered, complained or asked "Why Me?".  Early on her mindset was that she was in it to win it and she clearly had her own personal triumphs along the way, but in the end you can never forget that cancer is a despicable disease and when it touches you it is so difficult to elude. There are those times when you think that you have it beat but the chances are that you may only be fooling yourself. As it stands right now cancer has the final say as to the conclusion of your own personal story. It ravages your body, manipulates your immune system which allows countless other enemies to easily invade. And just then to add insult to injury, at that point shingles seized its opportunity to take hold. That was an excruciating period of time to witness as my mother not only had to battle her cancer but now she was also at war against shingles! 

There comes a point in time where you've witnessed enough pain and heartache sustained by your loved one. It becomes a double edged sword because as much as you'll miss them your only option becomes to hope and pray that they will be taken away so that their suffering can finally cease. We had reached that point. It is so unbearable to watch those that we love suffer as they do in the final stages of their lives. And when you think of those like my mom who had given so much of themselves to others throughout the course of their own lives we are left to wonder what purpose is served through all of the pain and suffering that they must endure? Our family had all come to grips with the fact that mom was in her final hours. Collectively we had all prayed that her end would be near and that she would go peacefully! Thankfully, on May 11, 2012 at one o'clock in the morning we finally got our wish as my mother passed away peacefully in her sleep. As her legacy concludes the memories of who she was and how she lived shall remain for all who knew her to cherish forever and for evermore.

Eulogy
Ina Mae Silber's Funeral
May 13, 2012 (Mother's Day)

Hi I’m Jere Silber.  I am Ina Silber’s youngest son.  My mom was my rock.  I hate cancer.  And I hate that it ravaged such a beautiful woman.  I just can’t imagine living my life having to pray that I’ll be able to do something just one last time… but with cancer that’s what it boils down to.  Just one last time! Like this past New Year’s Eve my mom had the hope that she would have been able to go out just that one last time, but for her on that night her one last time turned out to be the New Year’s Eve before.  Ina Silber was an amazing lady her whole life. Her whole life… I think more so once cancer had deprived her of the opportunity to fulfill every last hope and dream.  Cancer changed her life but it could never change her.  We all know that we are going to die. Most of us just don’t know exactly when that will  be.  She knew… she knew that her time was short but she tried to never allow that to stop her from living.  She loved her life. She loved her family and her friends. She loved being a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a great grandmother!

I believe that Ina Silber could have been just about anything that she wanted to be… a Doctor, a Lawyer, a Politician, or even an Actor… yes even an actor. Oh and she definitely would have won an Academy Award…. Would you mind helping me in giving my mom, Ina Mae Silber the standing ovation that she most certainly deserves for her grand performance in life?  Thank you.

In the days to follow we will feel the sorrow, share in the sadness and try to cope with the loss. And as sadness overshadows all other emotions from this point forward let us remember the everlasting memories that we all share knowing that each of us has been touched in our own special way.

From one season to another, through the passage of time, the healing process will begin. And as our hearts mend the memories from our past will take on a brand new perspective. The history of our lives will begin to unfold right before our very eyes. Our reflection backwards will lead us to realize that we would not trade our past for any of the other fruits that life could have offered. We now realize just how fortunate we are to have been reared from this family tree…

Happy Mother’s Day Mom… I Love You!

Ina Mae Silber  - R.I.P. 

Click on the "Brave Soul Award" to enlarge it 
    (The "Brave Soul Award" is presently only fictional, but when it does exist I will lobby for my Mom to be its first recipient)
                

                                                              
Lymphoma Research Foundation 

About Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that occurs when lymphocytes--white blood cells that help protect the body from infection and disease--begin behaving abnormally. Abnormal lymphocytes may divide faster than normal cells or they may live longer than they are supposed to. Lymphoma may develop in many parts of the body, including the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, blood or other organs.

There are two main types of lymphomas:

  • Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)(formerly referred to as Hodgkin's lymphoma) - there are six types of HL, an uncommon form of lymphoma that involves the Reed-Stemberg cells. 

• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) (formerly referred to as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) - There are more than 61 types of NHL, some of which are more common than others.  Any lymphoma that does not involve Reed-Sternberg cells is classified as non-Hodgkin lymphoma. 


           
Understanding                            Understanding                            Understanding Childhood                                         Non-Hodgkin                              CLL/SLL
Non-Hodgkin                                                  Lymphoma                                               Lymphoma

                                                                                                                                                                          

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