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Carol's Story

    Hi, my name is Wendy and I am writing this in tribute to my mother, Carol.  When I was 12 years old my family and I went on vacation.  We had never been camping and this was sort of like that.  It was a campsite in an amusement park.  It was a great couple of days.  However, ever since that "vacation" my mom started with this terrible cough.  I remember it being a very dry, deep cough. It went on for a long time.

     I believe that this is where all of her problems had stemmed from, or at least began....  My mom was diagnosed with Sjogren's Syndrome after many of the tests that you all talk about in your stories.  She suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, Scleroderma, and severe lung disease that caused her to be on oxygen at all times.  She was on several medications-some that made her so groggy-she didn't even know what she was saying!  I don't know if those were the best for her, but sometimes they helped her get through the pain.  I know that she had several diseases but I can't help but think that they all stemmed from Sjogren's.  The joint pain in her legs caused her to have to use a wheelchair most of the time.  We enjoyed our time together with her so much.  She was the light of every day.  After so much suffering, hospital visit after hospital visit, pneumonia after pneumonia, and even a ventilator at one point, she is now in a restful place where there will be no more suffering.  Our young mother, 44, is in a place that she will have every happiness.  We miss her dearly and love her very much.

     The reason that I mentioned our vacation is because some of the research that I have done on Sjogren's states that it may be caused by some environmental causes.  It just seemed weird that right after we camped she started to get sick.

    I also want people to know that although there is no cure for Sjogren's as of yet, a positive attitude is the best policy.  I know that some days it is hard-I tried very hard to make my mom smile and laugh some days.   I know that having a supportive family really helps.  I also understand when people say that it is hard for the family to understand how that person is feeling because they look O.K. on the outside.  All I can offer is that you just have to take their word for it and help out as much as possible.  Nobody would wish for this disease, or any, but we have to make do with what we are dealed in life.  This may just be a conquest to get over before getting to an everlasting life of happiness forever.

    I wanted to thank Lynne for having a page for people to go to and talk if they need to and to get some information.  It has really helped me and I'm sure others would agree.



I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came her date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years. (1930-1998)

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth...
and now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own;
The cars...the house...the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard...
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what's true and real,
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile...
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy's being read
With your life's actions to rehash...

Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Linda Ellis  www.lindaslyrics.com

 

Story Copyright © 1999-2007 Wendy

Page Design Copyright © 1999-2007 Lynne Messina