I’m sorry to tell you all that my mother Elena McCreight passed away today after a yearlong fight with ovarian cancer. If you are friends with the family, please email me at blaghagblog at gmail dot com for funeral information. In lieu of donations and flowers, please donate to the cancer charity of your choice.
I will miss her more than I can put into words at the moment, but I’m glad she’s no longer suffering. I know her kindness, passion, and creativity will live on in me and my family.
I love you and will miss you, Mommy.
I’m so sorry for your loss. :(
My condolences. Take care of yourself.
My condolences. Best wishes to you and your family.
I’ve been running a 5K every September for ovarian cancer since my sister-in-law died of it (despite my inability to run more than a mile). Now there’s one more reason.
Sorry for you loss.
I’m so sorry. Here’s hoping for solace for you and yours.
Also, damn all cancers forever.
I’m so sorry, Jen. You and your family are in my thoughts.
My sympathies are with you. Take time to grieve, but don’t forget to look after yourself.
Sorry for your loss. You have my deepest sympathies.
So sorry, Jen. I’ll be thinking of you.
Sorry for your loss.
I am so sorry for your loss. Best wishes from the 253 for you and your family.
I’m so sorry Jen.
My most heartfelt condolences, Jen.
Condolences :(
Jen:
I’m so sorry for your loss. My condolences to you and your family.
I’m so sorry to hear that, you have my sympathy :(
My condolences. Take care of yourself.
I am so sorry to hear this. My condolences to you and the rest of the family.
Please accept my deepest condolences.
I lost my mother to cancer. It was terrible.
Grief is a personal as relationships are, so I do not for a second assume to know how you feel, I only know that it hurts.
My deepest condolences with your loss. Take care.
I’m so very sorry to hear that. Stay strong, this will become easier to deal with.
Sympathies and condolences. :( I hope you all have each other’s kindness and support through this difficult time.
I hate cancer.
Deeply sorry. Wishing you strength.
I am so sorry to hear it. My thoughts are with you.
You don’t know me but I’m sorry for your loss.
So sorry for your loss Jen. Condolences and support to you.
My condolences.
I’m so sorry, Jen. My thoughts are with you and your family.
I empathize and wish strength and love for you and your family.
Jen, I’m so terribly sorry. I lost my mother two years ago. My deepest condolences to you and your family.
So sorry to hear this: cancer got my mom too, 11 years ago. Take care of yourself, you’re cherished even by people you don’t know (like me).
Was hoping to see a blog update soon but not quite like so… Stay strong and don’t fall into the pit.
Deepest sympathy. lean on your loved ones, remember her well.
I’m so sorry, Jen. My mom died 6 years ago. My thoughts are with you and your family.
My condolences, Jen.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Jen.
:( *hugs*
I’m adding my condolences, too.
* hugs* and condolences
Sorry to hear it. My condolences to you.
I’m so sorry, Jen. I lost my dad to cancer nearly 20 years ago, and it still makes me sad. When he died, I had the same feeling as you – at least he’s not suffering anymore. Cancer sucks. Hugs to you, sweetie.
Sorry for your loss. Wish you were writing more too, but I understand why you aren’t. Remember to take care of yourself.
Oh, that’s so sad to hear. Jen, I wish you the best path possible through your grieving process, whatever it may be.
So sorry for your loss, Jen. I lost my mom to peritoneal cancer (very similar to ovarian) in Aug of 2012. Hang in there and be good to yourself. Check out Grief Beyond Belief on Facebook for a good place to mourn/grieve away from God-talk and such. It was very helpful for me.
I am so sorry, Jen.
So sorry. Too young, both of you.
I’m sorry. My thoughts are with you and your family.
I’m so sorry, Jen…… you and your family are in my thoughts. My mum died of cancer 26 years ago when she was just shy of her 48th birthday, and although the passing of time has made it easier to deal with, I still miss her. Thinking of you and sending good thoughts your way.
I’m so sorry. :(
That’s very sad news Jen. You and your Mum (and family) are in our thoughts.
Your loss is terrible; may the good memories will remain whilst the bad fade.
I’m so very sorry to hear of your loss Jen. Best wishes to you and your family.
So sorry for your loss.
I’m so sorry, Jen. Losing a mother to cancer horrible, I know firsthand.
The pang goes away, but may your love never fade. Best wishes, Jen.
Losing a parent is awful and changes your world profoundly. I’m so sorry.
Very sorry.
Losing a parent is so hard. Be well. Lean on friends and family.
My deepest condolences.
Condolences on you loss.
Condolences and best wishes to you and your family. I wish I had the words to help ease the pain.
My deepest condolences.
So, so sorry, Jen. I hope your pain can eventually be transformed into fond memories that will make you smile when you least expect it.
I lost my own mom in 2011 to lung cancer at age 70. My other two siblings and I found it somewhat therapeutic to compile a list of things she had done and what kind of person she was. It was a surprisingly long and impressive litany of things that made us appreciate what kind of life she had, even if at first thought her life might have seemed uneventful. I suspect that if this were carefully done for almost anyone, it would make for an interesting epitaph. Here are a few (very few) examples from the list:
-Opera Aficionado
-Fluent French Speaker
-Empathetic Hospice Volunteer
-Classical Pianist
-High School Truant
-National Merit Scholar (I know that seems incongruous)
-According to her principal, “The Smartest Girl in the History of Byrd High School”
-Private Pilot
-Voracious Reader
I hope your best memories of her will remain the strongest, and thanks always for your blog and your wonderful writing.
This final act of becoming an adult is the hardest. I have nothing to offer.
*hugs, or other acceptable-and-non-intrusive gestures of comfort, sympathy and support*
–
My sincerest condolences.
Sorry for your loss.
Sorry for your loss.
I’m so sorry, Jen.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself.
I am sorry for your loss. You have my condolences. I wish you strength in this time.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I wish you strength and send hugs your way.
I am so sorry for your loss. I wish you and yours strength in this time and send you much love.
I’m sorry for your loss. Remember to take some time to take care of yourself — “self-care is not selfish.”
I am so very sorry for your loss.
Fuck cancer.
I know how you feel as I lost my father 6 years ago. I wish you all the strength you need.
It is sad losing a parent. My condolences.
Oh Jen, I’m so sorry
My mom died of renal cancer a few years ago. Really sorry for your loss Jen, all the best.
Jen, so sorry to hear this.
I’m sorry for your loss.
I’m sorry for your loss.
Condolences to you and your family and friends.
Tea and empathy.
I am sorry for your loss.
My condolences. My father died four years ago and exactly as in Your mother’s case, I miss him, but I’m also glad he isn’t suffering anymore. Us, the living will go on living, but it’s never the same anymore.
I’m so sorry for your loss. My grandmother just received results from a biopsy confirming breast cancer, so I’m afraid I’m going to have to go through a similar ordeal in the near future.
Cancer sucks. :(
My condolences, Jen.
My sincere condolences.
Oh shit Jen. I’m so sorry.
Ah shit :(. My condolences.
My deepest condolences to you and your family.
I love my mum too, Jen. My thoughts are with you and your family.
I’m so sorry for your loss. It may be too soon for you to think about reading this kind of thing, but when I had to choose a reading for my grandfather’s funeral, I put a lot of time into finding a completely non-religious poem, and this one helped me immensely, both then and in the following few years. The sentiments within it say everything I’d like to say to express my condolences if only I were more eloquent at these times. http://www.poeticexpressions.co.uk/poems/you%20can%20shed%20tears%20that%20she%20is%20gone.htm
Jen, you and your family have my deepest sympathies. May your happy memories of her be of comfort to you.
Lo siento
I’m so sorry Jen.
I’m sorry for your loss
I’m very sorry for your loss. I still miss my mother and always will; all my sympathies are with you. I hope you and yours have all the support of family and friends.
Even though I hate getting weepy, which I now am, my condolences.
My deepest sympathy. It’s very sad to lose someone, especially to a slow and painful illness. My thoughts are with you, FWIW.
I’m very sorry to hear this. My thought for you and your family.
I am sad to hear of your loss.
I’m sorry for your loss, Jen.
I’m so sorry to hear of your loss Jen. My mother died of cancer seven months ago and my father has been gone since 1980. I wish I had some way to make it all better but I’ve yet to find any kind of universal from my experiences. Grieving seems to be one of those things that is so subjective as to be intractable to advice, at least for a layperson such as myself.
I am going to repeat some of what I said* at my mum’s funeral simply for the sake of sharing one perspective on the grieving process. Nothing proscriptive is intended.
Picture a very new-agey Anglican Church. The priest has a rainbow pin on his lapel and we spend some time discussing how they bless same-sex marriages. I mention that I’m an atheist and he says he doesn’t care. This is my mum’s congregation. I’ve never met them before and I immediately like them.
In the front pew sits my brother and his family. They are not new-agey. No, they are evolution denying, “bible believing”, speaking in tongues, Uganda mission tripping fundamentalists. We tolerate each other, mostly through the expedience of living on different continents.
In my speech I talked about some of the hardships my mother faced. I wanted these people who only knew her at the end of her life to understand just how far she had come. And I talked about how I as an atheist delt with grief:
The looks on the faces of my brother and his family were priceless. I was so far off script from their notions of atheists that they clearly didn’t know how to take it. I’m not gloating about this, despite thier beliefs they are good people. But will admit to a certain satisfaction in how clearly the cognitive dissonance was displayed in their struggle to make sense of what I had said.
Then we ate cake, and we all went home.
*A paraphrase only, I didn’t write any of it down and frankly some of what I said was lost in the emotions of the moment.
I’m sorry for your loss.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Jen. Take care of yourself and do what you need to do. My condolences to the whole family.
My deepest sympathies for your loss.
My mother died when I was five years old, and I miss her to this day. Your mother will live on in you and your family.
My condolences for your loss.
Jen, please accept my sincere condolences. I never met your mother, but since you have written about her several times on this blog and your Twitter feed, this news nevertheless is making me sad. One more reason I hate cancer.
Remember to take care of yourself, and consider sharing our best wishes with your family.
Thank you all for this outpouring of love and support. My dad and I are doing about as “okay” as we can be. Don’t worry, we’re sleeping and eating and taking care of our own health. I’m lucky I arrived home in time to speak with her so we could chat and tell each other how much we love each other, because by the next day she was incoherent, and for the four days after that she just slept without waking. The past week of watching her in a medical bed in the living room of my childhood home, waiting for death to come and bring her peace, was harder than her actual passing.
We’re preparing for the funeral, which we’re going to keep simple and have a lot of photos, say some fun stories, and invite others to share stories as well. My mom wanted it to be a happy event, because that’s all she ever wanted for anyone – to be happy. Even at her worst when she looked like she had been in a concentration camp, all she cared about was that we would remember to still enjoy every lucky day we have on this earth once she was gone.
In reality, I feel like I really lost my mom a year ago. She suffered so immensely that you don’t even know, so I am glad that has ended. And I am glad to have some closure so I can start to heal and move on.
I am so sorry for your loss.
I’m very sorry for your loss.
De-lurking to share my condolences as well. Best wishes, Jen!
My condolences.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
So sorry for your loss. I am happy to read though that you are in a good place. Go on loving. It is the best medication.
Jen, I’m so sorry to hear this. My mother died in 2012, after a long battle with what started as breast cancer. It is just so fracking unfair and so difficult, for everyone. My heart goes out to anyone who has to struggle with this bullshit awfulness.
Hi Jen. So sorry. My mother, aged 75, passed away yesterday quite suddenly. I share your grief. No matter when in life you loose your mother the pain is great.
Sorry for your loss.
I’m so sorry. I wish you peace.
Allow me to offer my added condolences to the many you have received.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I wish you a hoard of happy memories to comfort you when you are ready for them.
I’m very sorry for your loss. I wish you and your family the best going forward.
Oh Jen, I’m so, so sorry. I just lost my dad to cancer about a month ago. *hugs*
Please accept my condolences for your loss.
You have my condolences.
Sorry for your loss.
My deepest sympathies, Jen. Cancer took my mom last December.
My condolences to you and your family. I’ll echo the I hate cancer.
Sorry for your loss. Cancer took my mother-in-law 18 months ago and my wife still hurts.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Jen.
I’m genuinely sorry for your loss.
I’m so sorry to hear that. *offers cyber-hugs if you need them*
Sorry for your loss, Jen *hugs if you want them*
I am sorry to hear of your loss. Your mom sounds really special.
I’m sorry you lost your mom, Jen.
I am so so sorry, Jen. Losing a loved one, especially a parent, is one of the worst things in the world. I feel for you and hope that you have plenty of support for your healing process. This just makes me so sad. I love you as a friend and fellow human being who suffers the same kind of pain the rest of us. Again, I am so sorry for your loss. If there was anything I could do to lessen your pain I would. I feel an extra amount of empathy for you because my dad is 86 years old and is suffering from chronic illnesses.
Jen, I hope you make it through this OK.
Frank Wall
Oh, Jen…….I am so sorry. My heart goes out to you. Please take care of yourself and know that there are many of us out here who care deeply about you.
Sorry for your loss.
I too am so sorry for your loss. I wish to leave a word of encouragement though.
Your mother lives on within you. You are genetically 50% her and 50% of the man your mother loved, your dad.
You are the time capsule that she created by filling you with her wisdom and love. She will be alive as long as you are.
I’m sure she was very happy and proud of what her life had accomplished, and you represent her very well.
Mitchell