4 YEARS OF AGE – My Mommy can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE – My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE – My Mother doesn’t really know quite everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE – Naturally, Mother doesn’t know that, either.
16 YEARS OF AGE – Mother? She’s hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 YEARS OF AGE – That old woman? She’s way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE – Well, she might know a little bit about it!
35 YEARS OF AGE – Before we decide, let’s get Mom’s opinion.
45 YEARS OF AGE – Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE – Wish I could talk it over with Mom.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart…the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!
Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
Read an excerpt now
TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James
Real Mothers don’t eat quiche;
They don’t have time to make it.
Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils
Are probably in the sandbox.
Real Mothers often have sticky floors,
Filthy ovens and happy kids.
Real Mothers know that dried play dough
Doesn’t come out of carpets.
Real Mothers don’t want to know what
The vacuum just sucked up.
Real Mothers sometimes ask ‘Why me?’
And get their answer when a little
Voice says, ‘Because I love you best.’
Real Mothers know that a child’s growth is not measured by height or years or grade…
It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother…
Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
Read an excerpt now
TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James
Mommy, don’t cry, ’cause God is holding my hand
and telling me everything is OK.
Mommy, God said that I will never want for anything
and I will still feel your love all the way up here.
Mommy, you should see me,
I am running and playing with God’s other children.
Mommy, guess who helps watch over us while we play?
They are God’s Helping Angels!
Mommy, I’m not afraid, my grandpa and grandma are here.
They came to me when it was dark and held my hands;
then we went to God’s bright light,
where Angels were singing.
Mommy, God said, If you feel sad, to remember this;
I’ll be the gentle breeze that brushes your face,
the sun is my smile and the rain is me washing away your pain.
Mommy, I have to go now.
I send you all my love on the wings of an Angel.
Love from your son, to you Mommy.
~ Sandra L. Garman
Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
Read an excerpt now
TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James
Invest in the human soul. Who knows—It might be a diamond in the rough.
~Mary McLeod Bethune
Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
Read an excerpt now
TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James
Sometimes it’s difficult to talk with an elderly parent about death or ask hose questions that would help your beloved have closure—perhaps it seems the time is never “right” for such heavy thoughts and conversations or you just don’t feel comfortable asking or intruding on what is perceived as a private issue. Maybe your parent always seems to wait for you to start any conversation and then only answers in brief responses resulting in limited discussions. Perhaps s/he mostly seems distracted. You end up thinking, “Well, maybe we’ll be able to discuss things next time.” And so more time goes by and you realize issues are still ‘in the air’.
I know it can be tough—It was difficult for me to broach some death-related subjects with my father. But I knew I needed to try. I realized it wouldn’t make his death approach any faster by bringing issues to the forefront. And I figured maybe it was just as hard for him to bring up the subject as it was for me to do it. And then it dawned on me that perhaps he was actually waiting for me to start “those” conversations.
Give yourself a chance to connect and learn about your parent’s life by asking about the death of your grandparents. By inquiring about your parent’s history it can help bring emotions and memories and thoughts to the surface about issues you’d like to discuss now. And your parent may actually enjoy sharing…some days—If your parent seems distracted or tired the conversations may be brief—but at least you’ll have tried and you won’t be left with regret later about not having made the attempt.
Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
Read an excerpt now
TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James
The death of a hospice patient is not an emergency. Nothing must be done immediately.
After the death it is okay to sit with your loved one for a while. There is no rush to get anything done right away.
Many families find this is an important time to pray or talk together and reconfirm your love for each other as well as for the person who has passed away.
The body does not have to be moved until you are ready.
Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
Read an excerpt now
TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James
Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.
~Eleanor Roosevelt
Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
Read an excerpt now
TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James
As profiled on CNN, for nearly four years (well, since 2006), 25-year-old Eva Markvoort of New Westminster, Canada, narrated a Blog about her battle with cystic fibrosis…an incurable disease that caused mucus to accumulate in her lungs.
Even as her health declined when it appeared unlikely that she would receive a second double lung transplant, she continued to chronicle life on her Blog—the constant theme was love.
In a video entry she talked about her impending death, saying, “I think I’m very lucky, because I’ve loved more than you could possibly think, could possibly imagine. So I’m celebrating that: celebrating my life.”
She championed cystic fibrosis awareness and organ donations.
When Markvoort was too frail, she dictated Blog posts to her friends and family.
“She had already processed the concept of dying,” says her mother. “And for her, she came to terms with it quite quickly. For her it was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I don’t know how much time I have. I have things to say.’ There was a sense of urgency on her part.”
Sometimes, her posts had only pictures of her and her loved ones, with their eyes crossed, tongues sticking out and comical gestures.
“This is the end of my life, but it’s not the end of my love,” Markvoort said in a video entry.
She died the morning of March 27.
Do you have a Blog?
Have you heard of CaringBridge? It’s a place where you can create a website so you can stay connected to your family and friends when you (or a loved one) are battling a serious health issue. You can share thoughts, wishes and prayers throughout the illness, the treatments and the recovery period, and receive support when you need it the most.
Or read some of the CaringBridge stories here.
Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
Read an excerpt now
TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James
Death leaves you no time for game playing or second-guessing.
Death leaves you no time to mess around with things you need to say to each other…so go for it!
There is no right or wrong way to do this.
Be angry, upset, weepy, and giddy…whatever you feel.
There are no shoulds in this process.
There are no rigid guidelines…just daily figuring it out by trusting your instincts.
Trust the help available to you.
Take care of yourself.
And know that even though your loved one physically will leave you, s/he is part of you for the rest of your life.
Ask Hospice staff for whatever you need.
And may you have love in all you experience!
Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
Read an excerpt now
TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James
From you have I been absent in the spring,
When proud-pied April, dressed in all his trim,
Hath put a spirit of youth in everything,
That heavy Saturn laughed and leaped with him,
Yet nor the lays of birds, nor the sweet smell
Of different flowers in odor and in hue,
Could make me any summer’s story tell,
Or from their proud lap pluck them where they grew.
Nor did I wonder at the lily’s white,
Nor praise the deep vermilion in the rose;
They were but sweet, but figures of delight,
Drawn after you, you pattern of all those.
Yet seemed it winter still, and, you away,
As with your shadow I with these did play.
~William Shakespeare
Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
Read an excerpt now
TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James