When she was first diagnosised I could not find anything in the library about the disease. Back then few people had PC's at home and I don't believe that the Internet was really up and running to the degree that it is now. Luckily, she had caring doctors (especially Dr. Bonner her cardilogoist here in Houston) along with a daughter-in-law who is a nurse and another one who is a respiratory therapist who kept her informed.

Through it all Mom tried to live her life as she always had; with gusto. It was not unusal for her to call me up at work and say, "Let's go out and eat tonight!" knowing that she might get stares at the resturant. Also, eventhough it was hard for her to walk, she refused to get a handicapped parking sticker until the very end.

The end came mercifully quick. She had a light stroke doing the middle of August, but tried to make the best of it by spending more time with her grandkids and great grandkids. She even had the older kids helping her with her theraphy exercises. However, she developed a blocked artery in her leg and was hospitalized. This was the most pain that I ever saw her in and she was on Morphine. Her enlarged heart could not take it and she was put in ICU late on a Friday and hooked to a respirator. Mom held on throughout Saturday, making sure that those who wanted to see her could, before passing away at 3:38 AM Sunday.

We (my brothers and I plus a sister-in-law) were with her. It was hard, but it gave us a sense of closure, something that we did not get 20 years ago when my Dad died in the middle of the night and we were not there.

Mom being Mom, has made it as easy as she could for us. She had: a living will (which along with prayer made the decision not to revive but simply let her go to her true home in Heaven a little easier, and; a burial policy which spelled out what funeral home, songs, and flowers she wanted. She had also taken my older nieces aside and talked to them about life and what would happen when she had to leave us.

Everyone says that we seem to be taking it pretty well. If so, it is because of Marie Frances McBride Bell and how she taught her 5 kids, 12 grandkids, 2 great grandkids and a host of friends to live and to die; graciously. Thank you for this site. I hope that it helps others to deal with this disease. Sheila L. Bell - she_she2@go.com

copyright 1999 Sheila L Bell                                                   Return to Tributes