Yesterday 'the Gang' said a very sad goodbye to Paula - after an eventful Spring and Summer last year we noticed that she had lost quite a dramatic amount of weight - we presumed it was down to her recently stressful personal life.
At the beginning of November and continued weight loss she was diagnosed with IBS.
One month and a 2nd opinion later, she received the devastating news that she actually had ovarian cancer.
From that day (19th December 2013) on, she argued and fought it every step of the way. The prognosis was never very hopeful, even from the outset the doctors thought she had six months to a year at best. As much as she fought and sought 2nd opinions and argued and challenged different treatments and 'trials', she very sadly lost her fight just 23 weeks and 1 day later on the morning of 30th May 2014.
and yesterday, we had to say a final goodbye to her.
We'd all chipped in for a small floral arrangement - a hydrangea for Paula in her favourite blue, surrounded by nine white roses - one from each of 'the Gang'... the original arrangement was made by the floristry team where I work, which my sister and I 're-arranged' to something more suitable and like we had in mind. As the floristry team are 'students', they don't have 'cards' as you would get in a more professional shop, so I decided to make a card for the gang to sign... I was very pleased with the result...I think she would have liked it...
the remembrance card...watercolour on card
the original arrangement - not 'quite' what we requested - but otherwise still beautiful
the arrangement mark 2 - which is more structured with just the 1 hydrangea head
I'm sure Paula would've approved :-)
Now I'm about to get ready to go out with 'the Gang' to celebrate a birthday - it had been arranged before we lost Paula, and the birthday girl was going to postpone - but the rest of us have put a stop to all that - we need to go out as a group and enjoy all that life is - grab each day and celebrate every opportunity you get - just like Paula would have done.
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