Easter is a different weekend in April this year. Last year it was on the 4th, this year it is on the 24th. We (family) held a picnic (of sorts) in a beautiful internal courtyard in the Stanford Hospital complex just a short walk from Mary's room in the cancer wing. We opened the food and wine directly under the sign that said "no food, no alcohol". Frankly, we did not care.
Mary was lucid on Easter Sunday. During the week, the pain doctors worked to minimize her morphine and put in an epidural block in her spine. It worked and it gave us Mary being awake and aware on Easter Sunday. We knew at that time there were just a few hours left before the failure of the liver would induce hepatic encephalopathy. The grandkids had been there as had all of our kids. My daughter Erika and Mary's son Tim with his daughter had to leave on Saturday to make commitments. Scott, Lara, Madelyn, Emma, Chris, Casey, Danny and Sarah were there along with our good friend Mary and Ingrid. Reenie had left on Wednesday but she turned around, took more time off and returned from Minnesota to be with Mary during the last days too.
We had hosted Mary's grand kids for Easter in Los Gatos for the past several years including 2009 after her symptom's presented and she had her ERCP procedures but before the gall bladder surgery. Easter was the 12th in 2009, her gall bladder surgery was on the following Saturday, 18th. I'll try and find the photos from that Easter and see if I can post them.
Unfortunately, I sort of let Easter planning get away from me and I have not set plans with the kids and grandkids. I won't let that happen again!
Even though Mary died on the 8th and that is strongly implanted in my brain and heart, her last days are associated with Easter.
Blessings to all of you during this holy week and weekend.
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