After undergoing a successful knee surgery, my father struggled during recovery and never regained consciousness. On November 20th he was removed from all life sustaining devices and passed that evening. My step-mom made funeral arrangements and prepared for the big adjustment of being alone after 30 years of marriage. 

Leading up to my fathers hospitalization, my step-mom had been experiencing back and hip pain. She told us that once my father was home she would go to the doctor and get checked out. The day of my father's funeral, my step mom left the cemetery and went home to rest. A little over a week passed and an ambulance was called to transport my step mom to the hospital. She had been unable to get up from the couch  for several days and couldn't walk on her on. 

Soon after arriving at the hospital, we learned that her back was broken in three places and she had osteoporosis, making her bones brittle and weak. The doctors also located a mass on her spine which was biopsied and determined to be cancer. The doctors called for more test. Within three days of being admitted we were given a diagnosis of Stage 4, Non-small cell Carcinoma that had already spread to her stomach lining, liver, adrenal glands and her lymph nodes. The word "terminal" was used. I immediately started taking notes and doing research. We were scared to ask questions at first because we both already knew the answer. The oncologist said three month of life expectancy without treatment and possibly twelve month with treatment. After a few days of her grim reality set in, seh opted not to take chemo and immunotherapy. She passed away about three weeks later at home with us by her side. 

My son and I have decided to participate in Race to Remember in honor of two lives lost way too soon and very unexpectedly. Our hearts are broken and our lives forever changed.