Life always seems to work against the "good ones". My wonderful aunt, the one who was going to get me if something ever happened to my parents while I was growing up... the cool one who at points in her life lived in a log cabin on gorgeous wooded property, worked giving tours at the old Rolling Rock factory, introduced me to Great Danes, spoiled me rotten as a kid... a family matriarch, being only one of two long-term first and forever marriages among the old generation... is gone.

About six months ago Judy was diagnosed with an exceptionally rare blood cancer. She was in her early 50s and the illness was swift and severe. We all prepared for testing to see if we were a match, since they were attempting to try bone marrow transplants in fighting this kind of cancer. She got very lucky a couple times, the first being when they allowed her to be a recipient. Apparently after the age of 50, some people are pretty much just told that there's nothing further that can be done. She also had three matches for donors in her county, one of whom gave their marrow willingly as quickly as possible.

The first transplant happened about a month and a half ago. What a horrific experience. The chemo to bring the immune system down almost entirely so that her body wouldn't reject the transplant was bad enough. The usual hair loss, nausea, etc. was awful and pneumonia had to be fought as well. The first transplant appeared successful at first, and lasted for some time. We were very, very hopeful.

As quickly as things got better for a week or two, they then spiraled down in a matter of days again. Her body rejected the transplant and her spleen and other organs were failing as a result of being unable to cleanse her blood of the toxins and cancer. Another round of even harder chemo was rapidly followed by a second transplant attempt about two weeks ago. Her body never recovered. While it looked like it was accepting the transplant to some extent, pneumonia and secondary infection settled in and took her from us. She went on life support Sunday night and by Monday morning she was gone.

Her husband is devastated, as expected. They never had children and he is now alone for the first time in about 30 years. The family is shocked at the sudden loss. We never anticipated the one with the most life, the highest vivrancy, the best attitude, would be the first to go. It's heartbreaking.

I'm off this weekend for Judy's wake. She didn't want a funeral. A big Irish family, we do wakes well, but I think this one will be particularly difficult. Cancer and other reasons have taken far too many from me in the last couple of years. It reminds me to savour what I have, be thankful for my family, love my daughter every single minute of every single day. Goodbye Judy. You are sadly missed.