The Pact: A Daughter's Memoir of Her Mother's Life With Cancer

Four years following the death of my mother from lung cancer, I find myself compelled to tell my story, her story, our story. For three and half months my mother lived with lung cancer. She most likely had the disease longer. Bouts of bronchitis and pneumonia over the years, were clues that something lingered. But, this story is not about regret. Rather, it is about courage, dignity, and a mother who, until her final



day, maintained her role as caregiver with grace. I witnessed this first hand. You see, we made a pact. She talked, I listened; to everything. No matter how difficult it was for me to hear, I promised to listen. I did. My mother, father, and me, the three of us spent some part of every day together. We did the best we could tackling every new situation that came our way in this new world of cancer. We had close family for support: my brothers, their wives, nieces and nephews. But, in the tasks of daily life with cancer, the three of us held tightly to each other. Listening to my mother, what she wanted for herself and her family, empowered her. She lived her last months with dignity and self respect. That's why I write "My Story." If "My Story" can empower another family with knowledge and resources, so a beloved family member can live his/her life with dignity, love, and respect, then I have accomplished my goal.

I already wrote five chapters of this book. But, there is so much more to write. My goal is to write every day and to live life, too. There are so many distractions. My son starts back to college next week. I begin school next week, too, working full time. My husband's music studio is busy recording a Christmas album, and the guys want me to sing a couple of songs on the album. My birthday and anniversary are next week and we have tickets to "Jersey Boys." No "woe is me" here. My life is rich. I simply must follow the schedule I prepared and fulfill my goal: write and publish. I am off to write now.

Wish me luck.