This is going to be a ramble… And honestly, I am writing this mostly for me.
My dad is the oldest of four siblings. Dad was born in 1943. His sister Susie came along in 1946. My Uncle Robert was born in 1949, and finally my Aunt Christine arrived in 1952.
While dad stayed in Seattle, his siblings moved all across the country… Hawaii, California, South Carolina. Over the years they all returned, but the first to come home was Aunt Christine. She, her husband (my Uncle Mike) and their two sons (Mike and Bob) came back when I was still in elementary school. They lived just two blocks away.
Mike, Bob and I went to the same school. Since I was two years older than Mike and eight years older than Bob, Aunt Christine would hire me to babysit. All the neighborhood kids knew my Aunt because she was a librarian at our local branch. She is also my god mama, and the keeper of all the Finney family’s genealogy. She always texts me old family photos, or 100 year old news articles she has found featuring great grandparents. She is tiny. Barely over 5 feet tall. I outgrew her when I was nine, and gave her hand me downs of my clothes and shoes. 😄
On Sunday night (March 26) I was still in Las Vegas with the stacking crew. We finished dinner at Nacho Daddy, and I was hanging out with Summer, Silverd and Silverd’s girl. The Silverd’s were packing for their early flight. Summer and I were chilling. Things were very mellow. Until my phone started ping ping ping-ing me.
I was getting texts from two of my other cousins. With terrible news. My Aunt Christine was being rushed to the hospital. Her son Bob had called her earlier that day. During their conversation my cousin noticed his mom was slurring her words, and using words that were disjointed and didn’t make sense. Not knowing what to do he called other family. These conversations led to a 911 call. Everyone thought she might be having a stroke. After arriving at the local hospital it turned out there was no stroke. Instead doctors discovered a brain tumor. 🥺
Upon finding the tumor, my aunt was immediately transferred by another ambulance to the University of Washington Medical Center. (My alma matter and home of the best neurology department in the Pacific Northwest.) My cousins let me know Aunt Christine would be having brain surgery the next day. They also told me our cousin Mike was flying to Seattle from Florida and that my Uncle Robert was flying in from Texas.
So after reading all of this… I started to lose my shit a bit. I went into the bathroom and was trying unsuccessfully not to cry. My goodbye to silverd and his girl was super hasty. I was tearing up and didn’t want to just start sobbing uncontrollably in front of everyone. I was panicked and worried and had gone from chill to freaking the f-ck out pretty much instantly. The last few years have just been one bad thing after the next, after the next, after the next. So, I often find myself in high alert, fight or flight mode really fast compared to the old days. It is hard to explain.
Anyway, I rushed back to my hotel and spent the night worried and texting with family.
The next day while Summer, Fat E and I soaked up our last few hours in Vegas, Aunt Christine had brain surgery. It lasted about 3 hours, and a tumor the size of a ping pong ball was removed. When Aunt Christine woke up she managed to say she was cold, but the rest of her words were a jumble. I guess this isn’t unexpected after brain surgery.
Post surgery her mobility is slightly impaired. As is her speech. I guess she has also struggled to remember things like the year and the names of family members. Aunt Christine came home from the hospital Saturday April 2 with arrangements made for home health visits, physical therapy and speech therapy.
Today brought more news. The worst news. Today the oncology results arrived. It turns out the tumor is cancer, a Glioblastoma. Glioblastoma is an aggressive, incurable cancer. Treatment includes resection of the tumor, followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Because of the tumor’s location in the brain, surgery cannot remove all of the cancer cells as doing so could cause irreparable brain damage (complete loss of speech and motor function). The leftover cancer cells can quickly grow into a new tumor, leading patients to have multiple brain surgeries. While all patients have a different journey, average life expectancy post diagnosis is 6-18 months. 😪
I am so sad.
Sad for my aunt, her husband, her sons, her grand babies. Sad for my dad, his brother and his other sister to be facing the loss of their baby sister. Sad for me. My own mom has been so sick with her own cancer struggle the past 3 years. And my dad’s other sister has fought through both ovarian and breast cancer. I think because Aunt Christine is so much younger than they all are and because she always looked healthier than everyone, part of me has counted on her being there for me after my parents are gone. So this is just another unexpected piece of sh-t from the universe. Plus, my grandparents both lived to almost 100 with very few health set backs. So I think me and my cousins have all just thought our parents would be as lucky. Like genetics owed us all longevity.
I don’t really know what comes next. There are doctor’s appointments next week. One is to take out surgical staples. One is to discuss a treatment plan. My poor cousin Mike has to fly home to his family in Florida Saturday. Having been separated from my mom during her cancer battle due to Covid restrictions, my heart aches for Mike that he he can’t be with his mom too.
I don’t really know how to wrap this up…
Tell your family how much you love them. Tell your friends how much you love them. Laugh together. Say yes to get togethers. Share stories. Hug. Stay up late to be together. Time is irreplaceable and your people are priceless. ❤️
So sorry to hear your bad news. Please accept my virtual hugs from Australia.
Thanks bugged. As always, I appreciate you so much. ❤️
@dinney!!! I just got this!!!!
I am so sorry about your Auntie Christine. 😔Very sad, indeed.
Hold her tight and tell her much you love her.
I will pray for her during these holiest days of the year🙏, and always. I don't forget to pray 🙏for you Mom too.
Hang it there.
!LUV
!LADY😍🌺🤙
View or trade
LOHtokens.@silversaver888, you successfully shared 0.1000 LOH with @dfinney and you earned 0.1000 LOH as tips. (2/30 calls)
Use !LADY command to share LOH! More details available in this post.
@dfinney, @silversaver888(1/10) sent you LUV. | tools | discord | community |
HiveWiki | 
NFT | <>< daily
😔 Thank you. I haven’t been able to see her yet cause I have a cold and haven’t wanted to get her sick. But I did send flowers. My cousin sent a photo of her with them. She looks pretty good considering everything the last couple weeks. Thank you so much for your prayer for her and my mama. ❤️
Those are beautiful flowers! It will cheer her up!
Sending prayers!!!
!LADY 😍🌺😔
View or trade
LOHtokens.@silversaver888, you successfully shared 0.1000 LOH with @dfinney and you earned 0.1000 LOH as tips. (11/30 calls)
Use !LADY command to share LOH! More details available in this post.
OMG, I just found this post and I'm so saddened by this turn of events in your family. I wish your family strength and peace to get through this. 💜
💛
Thank you. It is so sh-tty. On the one hand you want to be positive and encouraging and on the other… I am not sure my cousins (her kids) nor my uncle (her husband) totally grasp the reality of what’s to come. Two guys I knew peripherally growing up died of glioblastoma… in their 20’s. It was fast and cruel. 😔
And then I think about how covid kept us all from celebrating holidays and birthdays together the last few years… it is heartbreaking. And I keep trying to get my dad to go see my aunt and offer to watch my mom while he goes. But he doesn’t since he feels like he needs to be with mom… it is a mess.
I did talk to my aunt over the weekend on the phone. Her radiation and chemo started this week, so I wanted to check in on her before she is too tired for calls. She said she felt good, except for tiring easily. Her words were steady but came very slowly.
Life is just not very kind sometimes. 😞
I am not sure I have the words to sooth you right now, but know that I will be thinking of your family tonight. Not sure what deity you beleive in or if you believe in one, but I will pray for all of them on my end.
Thanks so much. ❤️
I am sorry for the struggles and the news @dfinney. It is never easy when a loved one falls ill and you're helpless to do anything about it.
Rest assured that there are many here who are praying for healing, comfort and peace for your aunt and for the family, especially you, @dfinney!
Spend as much time with her and your family as you can. No one knows when their time is up, which is why what you said in the end of your post, is so important! Family and love.
Take care and keep us posted. Much love to you, sis!🤗💜🤗
Thank you @elizabethbit ❤️
🤗💜
I am so very sorry your Aunt ( and you and the Family) are going through this @dfinney…………….😮
You are so correct, we often don’t make enough time for the ones we Love❤️
Thank you @silvertop. It barely seems real at the moment. 😔
Hopefully you can be nearby to comfort her…….
So sorry to hear that @dfinney. We all love you, and I'll keep your whole family in my prayers.
Thanks JZ. 😉
I am glad the last three standing in Vegas were you, me, and Summer. For a day where extraordinarily shitty things were happening at home… it was a great day with you two. ❤️
That is a lot of bad news to have to deal with, sorry to hear you have to go thru all of this. Be there for your auntie and spend time while you can. Life isn't easy. Take care of yourself thru all of this. xox
Thank you. Life isn’t easy. Everyone has their challenges at different times and everyone eventually (and unfortunately) will face similar circumstances during life. It helps to write it all down sometimes to release the initial stress enough so one can focus on the here and now. I appreciate your reply. ❤️
OMG! I just read the intro post on your profile. WELCOME BACK friend! I didn’t realize it was you when I first saw your comment. It has a been a crazy few years. So glad you are back to hive. Sorry you got locked out of your account. xo
It does help to write it all down, like a release. It sucks but none of us get out of here alive either but it hurts every time especially if you know what's coming. Went thru it with my grampa and it's not easy. You will do ok tho, you're strong.
YEESSS lol you got me figured out! I had a little set back haha. I'm back, slowly finding everyone little by little as I come across. It's kinda cool to be a newbie again tho and letting people recognize me as odd as it sounds. I still have they keys so who knows it may or may not be gone. I'm glad you are still here and posting. I also like to think everything happens for a reason.
Damn that sucks. Sorry for your bad news.
Thanks Dave. I really wish stupid stuff would go on hiatus for like a year. Maybe even 2.
Sending hugs to you. I hope everything will be okay soon.
Yes, life is short so we should show and tell people how we love and how important they are in our lives.
Thank you so much. It means a lot to get support (even from folks who I do not know). Life is beautiful some days. Some days it is filled with fun. And others…. Can definitely suck! The crappy days definitely serve as a reminder to appreciate the good days and people we love. ❤️
Experiences really give us a lesson about life. Sending hugs. Keep safe.
You received an upvote of 100% from Precious the Silver Mermaid!
Please remember to contribute great content to the #SilverGoldStackers tag to create another Precious Gem.
As I just wrote, I went back to your linked posts and it's so clear to see the love in your family. You seem so positive and happy, while on the other side of the screen you are dealing with all of this. Life threw you some big lemons :(
How sad that all this had to happen, I'm sending all the hugs and love I have from Spain ... and as this post is old, I will probably find out more in the new post you wrote what happened after..
My inbox is open for you anytime if you need someone to vent or rant.. Big hugs!
My aunt is still alive but it has been 13 months since her brain tumor was discovered. She also has gotten to the point that there is no more medicine can do to help her. Since Christmas her condition has really deteriorated. Some days she doesn’t remember how to read. Some days she cannot talk. So far she mostly still understands people. But that is getting harder too.
The one sort of good thing through everything… covid restrictions started the same time my mom first got sick. So all the covid stuff combined with my mom’s own self consciousness about her deteriorated condition… mom wouldn’t let anyone visit her. And most of my family even though many of us live near each other hadn’t seen one another since Christmas 2019. After the recent return of mom’s cancer and my aunt’s continued deterioration my mom finally agreed to let our extended family visit her.
So a few weeks ago all of my aunts an uncles and some of my cousins came to my parent’s house for a visit. Which was so good. Despite the sadness behind everyone being together.
But yeah… at my aunt’s initial diagnosis doctors predicted she would have 6-18 months to live. And at 13 months right now… I think that estimation was correct.