I first discovered Erika (CancerSucks) when Roe suggested I have a look at her blogs. I'm so glad I did. From the first time I read her, I was amazed at her optimism, determination and brilliant sense of humour. She took me with her on a journey to beat the disease she despised so much. Whilst she occasionally admitted to a few tears, most of those were for Andrew, her beloved husband, her parents and friends. Even when told it was worse than they thought, she wrote from the hospital to say she was continuing to fight, to look for ways to live. And live she did.
She took us to weddings, to weekends away with friends, to meet her school children and to introduce her friend who had come to visit. She shared her love for her husband, her pride for him and how he looked, showed us her wigs, showed off her dress and most of all let us know how much she appreciated life. What a lesson she has taught me and many others.
It's strange to think how I, a past middle aged lady from a tiny place in Ireland, started to think of Erika as a friend. I would post her little things I had read and she would tell me she had a smile on her face when she read them. Every morning when I woke I would pray for a miracle, every night when I went to sleep I would ask God to spare her. On Saturday morning, my prayer group prayed for her to be out of pain, to be at peace.
Last night as I lay unable to sleep I realised that she did have her miracle - she lived her life to the full right up to the end, never with self pity and always full of optimism. The end was swift, took us all by surprise but I know it's just as she would have wanted it.
To her beloved Andrew, to her entire family circle, I thank you for letting us know she would no longer be blogging with us. Your pain right now must be enormous, but I know how much she loved you all, how she would not want you to suffer, how she hated giving you pain. I, for one, have no doubt that she is where she should be, where there is no pain, no suffering and she will fly with wings like an eagle. My life is the better for having known her. God bless you dear friend.
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