Hello Everyone. I have been away from blogging for quite a while because there has been a tragic death in the family, on my Husband's side. His older sister Kenia passed away in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday, May 22nd at the age of 28, leaving behind three young boys. She passed away after a relatively brief, but intense battle with cancer. She found out at about the same time she became pregnant with her last child. Doctors told her she needed to abort to basically save her life, because she couldn't take any kind of strong medicine or do chemo or radiation while pregnant. She was adamant about having the baby, and consequently, the cancer got terribly worse. The doctors said she was at a stage 3.5 after delivering the baby 2 months early, and she just got progressively worse and worse. We kept up hope, especially after the birth of her son Ranger. We kept getting conflicting news, which caused us to hope then be scared, hope and worry. Then we got news several weeks ago that she had an infection in her leg, which caused her to go back to the hospital and be off chemo and radiation again. And since we're in the States and his family is back in DR, there is always the getting of the information second-hand, so we were not really understanding the gravity of the situation. They sent her home a little less than a week before she passed, and even though my husband's brother told us she was getting skinnier and skinnier and looking weaker and worse, we kept hoping. We thought it was a good thing she was being sent home, but we realized that she was really being sent home to pass in the comfort of her family.
 |
| Brave & Adventurous Kenia! October, 2010 |
We were actually discussing when Hubby should go home, because no one knew how much longer she would last. I told him to call her on Monday (May 21) to talk to her and kind of feel out how she was doing. That morning we actually got a text from Hubby's brother that he should come home right away, that Kenia didn't seem like she would make it another day. We were shocked to say the least. We have several things going on here, so we had to be sure Hubbs could travel. So after we got the ok, we booked the earliest flight, which wasn't until Tuesday morning. So we packed up his suitcase, got a couple hours of sleep and sent him on his way to DR. We were communicating the entire time while he was making his way back home. His mom told his sister that he was on his way, and although she could no longer speak or move at that point, she was smiling and happy. Unfortunately, she passed away while my husband and his brother were driving to see her, about 30 minutes away.
Hubby was able to stay there for a week and celebrate his sister's life, which was incredibly beautiful. I am so blessed and thankful to have known Kenia for the little bit of time that I knew her and am so thankful for her love and friendship. May she rest in peace and may God bless her soul. I wish all the best for those three little boys, aged 6, 4 and 11 months. Her Husband is taking care of the older ones while her mom is looking after the baby. I can't wait to go back to DR and see my beautiful family and my amazing nephews. Love to you all!
 |
| Kenia, Her Husband & Two Sons, before the baby was born. |
Koko
