In the morning, I'm a creature of habit. And today was no different.
I sat both of my children down at the kitchen island, gave them their breakfast and then proceeded to open the blinds on the window above my kitchen sink. In a manner that was almost overwhelming, the sun came barreling in those blinds today with an energy and radiance that seemed to light up my whole house.
Then my four year old, Benjamin exclaims with a huge smile on his sweet face, "There's grandma!! Look mom, it's grandma!" I froze. Couldn't decide if I could turn around and look. Partly because I knew what Benjamin was seeing before his innocent eyes was most likely present, but partly because I knew it would not be for me to see.
While giggling, Benjamin continues, "She's playing hide and seek mom! Haha! Hi Grandma! Hehe! She's funny, mom!"
Believe what you will. For me, this morning was a glorious reminder that my mother is always with us.
Yesterday was 2 months since mom passed away and some things just haven't gotten easier. I still want to pick up the phone and call her every single day. My mind will say, oh... mom would crack up if I told her... oh, wait. Wait. And of course the process of my thought to the realization I can't call her is mere seconds. But I still feel like I hit a brick wall going 120mph every time.
The truth is I knew this wasn't going to be easy. Losing someone you adore never is, right? And just when you think some of the pieces in your broken heart are starting to reattach, you walk into her house and you fall apart all over again. Again and again. My mind is certain that she's going to be walking down her staircase. Or sitting at the kitchen table. Then here comes that brick wall again.
The good news is that Ray, Becky, Ashley and I have received tremendous support from our family and friends. And we are so grateful for that. Ray has gone back to work and the girls are enjoying their summer vacation. Our much needed break is in full swing and fortunately this mild summer has been a big dose of calm for all of us.
Finally - today I uploaded a tribute to mom on the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation website. Take a look when you have a moment. :)
Love,
Lauren
Friday, June 25, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Celebrating the Life of Suzanne
A big thank you to all who came to celebrate my mother's life at her mass and memorial service on April 29, 2010. I am certain that we surpassed my mother's expectations in honoring her. The service was exactly as she wished and it was in one word - perfect.
Holy Spirit's Father Carlos Velazquez so lovingly brought us comfort through his thoughtful words and Letty Spain shared her beautiful voice with us throughout the mass. She had us all in tears with her Ave Maria - a song that my mother chose for her service and loved so much. All those who shared remarks of remembrance perfectly captured exactly who my mother was, and the legacy that will live on in our hearts forever.
As a tribute to my mother, I have decided to post the eulogy that I delievered for her at the service. Her legacy as a mother is profound and inspirational beyond measure. For that reason, I think it's worth sharing...
______________________________________________________
Celebrating the Life of my Mother Suzanne
delivered at her Mass and Memorial Service - April 29, 2010
Hello my name is Lauren and I’m Suzanne’s oldest daughter. On behalf of my mom’s husband Ray, my brother Christopher, my sisters Becky, Ashley and Mandy and my husband Cris, we would like to thank you for coming today to celebrate the life of my mother Suzanne.
Before I speak about my mother, I would like to take a moment to say thank you to those that have been an instrumental in supporting my family throughout the last few years and especially during our most difficult times.
Father Carlos – You’ve been part of our lives for over 18 years serving as our spiritual mentor and friend. My mother was so grateful for the guidance and comfort you provided her especially in her times of worry and uncertainty. For that, we thank you and we appreciate your help in celebrating my mother’s life today.
Letty Spain – You are such a beautiful vocalist and we thank you for sharing your voice with us today.
To Ann, Velia and the people of Pasteur Plaza Surgery Center who worked with my mom - you all witnessed her struggles first hand and never hesitated to lend a helping hand when she needed it the most. My mother was deeply humbled by your generosity demonstrated over and over and over again throughout the years. You all donated hundreds of hours of vacation time so my mother could keep her medical benefits when she could no longer go to work. The thought of this often brought her to tears. Words could never express how grateful she was for your generosity and how grateful we are as a family that you lifted so many burdens in our time of need. You will always hold a special place in our hearts.
To Dr. Fred Massey, his nurse Jo Ann and all of the staff at Dr. Massey’s office – You always treated my mother with dignity and respect and while she didn’t necessarily love coming to your office, she always knew that she was in good hands once she arrived. And Dr. Massey, my mother always found great joy in conquering your serious nature. It was her mission to make you laugh every time she saw you and from the stories I’ve heard I think she did a pretty good job.
To My mom’s best friend Norma – I love you and my family loves you from the bottom of our hearts. You sacrificed countless hours with your own family to become part of ours. We would not have been able to function without your presence. Thank you for helping us organize this beautiful service today, thank you for all of the cooking and cleaning you have done for Ray and the girls over the last few months and most importantly thank you for making my mother laugh when no one else could. We love you dearly.
To my husband and the Lara family –It is because of you that I was able to spend countless days with my mother. Time that was and will always be so precious to me. I will never ever forget your generosity and I love all of you very much.
To my family and to Ray’s family - A big thank you to all of you for also helping us organize this service for my mother today. We couldn’t have done it without you. And more importantly, thank you for also helping to take care of my mom, Ray and my sisters over the last few months. You will always be remembered as the ones who helped to make a very difficult time a lot less so.
And finally to everyone who brought over meals, took care of my children so I could be with my mother, gave my sisters rides to and from school, sent my mom positive messages and said countless prayers in our times of need, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your unending support.
My mother Suzanne was born on June 1, 1954 to Blanche and Gerald Kuykendall. She was the fifth child in her family of eight children which includes Junior, Michael, Priscilla, Sylvia, Hardy, Jeff and Andy.
She was a student at St. Anne’s Catholic School, Blessed Sacrament School and she graduated from Robert E Lee HS in 1972.
In a family where there was plenty of height to go around, Susie only reached a modest 5 feet 4 inches. The shortest in her family. But her size was no indication of her strength, her vigor, her energy, her ability to hold her own. As a child my blond-haired, green-eyed mother craved the sunshine. She spent endless hours outdoors… and for this reason she was always the most tan in the family. Mom’s siblings say as a child she was feisty, she was fun, she loved to laugh, and her imagination was unlike any other in the family. She loved roller derby, she loved all sports and she had no problem keeping up with her brothers… all 5 of them.
In mom’s 20’s she began to really explore who she was and what she loved. She always loved music and wanted to play an instrument so she took piano lessons. She loved theater so she took acting lessons. And perhaps the biggest highlight of her 20’s, in my humble opinion was giving birth to me and my brother Christopher. It was also during this time that she established her career in the health care field. Establishing this career meant the formation of a work ethic which mirrored that of her mother Blanche. Day after day, and into her 30s she went to work, she came home and prepared us home cooked meals, she helped us with our homework and she stayed up late every night maintaining our house and trying to sneak in a little time for herself. Because our weekdays were filled with work and school, work and school I’d say it was perhaps on the weekends when some of her greatest lessons were taught.
I happen to have 3 personal favorites.
Lesson 1 – Love God first, be a good Christian and proclaim God’s word with passion. This lesson was conveyed to us in not just in words but more so ACTIONS growing up. As a child mom would take my brother and I to church Sunday after Sunday. She was always involved in one way or another whether it be as a Lector, Eucharistic Minister an RCIA sponsor, or a CCD teacher. And during Sunday mass, she would deliver the readings with enthusiasm and heart. As a child I thought her delivery was a little intense, but as I grew older I knew it was because she had such a passion for the message she was conveying. She laid the foundation for our Christian beliefs – a gift from her I cherish most.
Moving on to the next big lesson - Lesson 2: If you want something done, simply do it yourself. Her method of teaching us this lesson was well, a little extreme but it worked. Lesson learned mom. At seven years old, we lived in a rental house across the street from my Grandmother’s and my mother decided that the exterior of the house was looking a little worn and needed to be repainted. So on one particular weekend after getting permission from the owner, she didn’t hire professionals, she didn’t ask for help, she just bought the paint and painted the entire outside of our house all by herself. Just another typical weekend in our house.
Perhaps the lesson that she loved to teach us most was that of Lesson 3 - The physical body can do much if your mental capacity says so. In other words toughen up, or suck it up! And as I’ve gotten older I’ve decided that tough by mom’s standards is probably a little different than most. Tough meant taking hikes in the middle of the Texas summer heat throughout Eisenhower Park for exercise and fun. I have vivid memories of my brother and I as small children sweating and breathing heavy and being overly parched and falling on the rocks and maybe even shedding a few tears as we endured these hikes… but she pushed us forward for what felt like forever. When you think about it, it was a pretty clever method to teach us this lesson I’d say… I mean, where could we go? We were in the middle of a trail, in the middle of the park and we had to get back to our car somehow, right? Just keep going. Must keep walking.
And another lesson about being tough - it’s okay to be the only third grade girl on an all boys soccer team. I can remember playing a soccer game on a field filled with stickers (you know, the ones that hurt!) and I had been pushed down by another player. As I’m laying there face planted into the ground, for sure experiencing the worst pain I’d ever felt in my whole life, I was certain that my mom was on her way to the field to help me stand up. But nope. Instead of helping me up, she just yelled from the sidelines, “get up Lauren.” “You’re fine!” I wasn’t fine but I collected every ounce of “suck it up” attitude that my mom had been teaching me for a whole 8 years of life and little by little I picked myself up off of the field. And while it may have been a little harsh, I guess there are few better ways to teach a child that if you fall down, get back up and keep going. So I did. In pain. Thanks mom.
Her lessons have resonated with me throughout my childhood and into my adulthood and new memories were made as I witnessed the additions of Ray, Rebecca, Ashley and Mandy into our family. All of you stimulated sides of my mother that made her truly who she was meant to be. I think it's important to highlight how you all have done so.
I’ll start with Ray - My fondest memories and stories about my mom and Ray involve how much they loved to watch and critique movies together and how they argued over who got to read which portion of the newspaper first… which was usually the Star. They would take turns reading the newest Michael Crichton novel or any one of my mom’s other 15 favorite authors. And I was always impressed how you two could read 800 page novels in basically about two days.
Perhaps the best stories come from any given day in which they decided to play Scrabble, or Trivial Pursuit , the Wii or a game of Washers together at Rose and Johns house! You see, to say my mom was competitive is sort of an understatement. To say that Ray is competitive is sort of an understatement. The truth is, that even when I was 10, my mother wouldn’t let me win at a game of Connect Four. So Ray didn’t stand a chance. But I digress. Ray, thank you for enlightening my mom by letting her be the true competitor that she was, making her laugh unlike any other and taking the blame when the Spurs lost, even if it was never your fault at all.
To Becky - you possess so many qualities of mom but perhaps the most endearing is your ability to love unconditionally and your ability to not sweat the small stuff. You keep things simple just like mom and accept people just as they are. I loved how mom and you and Ashley and Mandy all loved to watch your favorite movies together like Pride and Prejudice, and the original Romeo and Juliet and how you all sang together at the top of your lungs with any given Dixie Chicks or Kelly Clarkson song on the radio. Mom always raved about how thoughtful of a child you were and continue to be and I thank you for making her so proud.
To Ashley - I will forever have a vision of you attached to mom’s leg etched into my mind. I know how much you loved to hold on to her leg and as you grew older how much you loved wrapping your arms around her and taking in her smell. You look the most like mom and because of this, I think she thought she could make you do any of the things that she never got to do as a child. As you well know her favorite one of these “forced activities” was making you play the violin. But lo and behold after three short years you become one of the best in the city. And of course mom would take all the credit for this. Ashley, listening to you play the violin brought mom so much joy. Thank you for enlightening her in this way.
To Mandy - my mom loved you like one of her own. Thank you for calling her the “pretty lady” and always bringing my mom many gifts of jewelry that you had made for her. Mom always told me that you were the most polite in the household and she was always impressed with your manners.
To all of my sisters, to my niece Chloe and to my children Benjamin and Madeline, I always will do my best to continue sharing the stories that defined mom’s extraordinary legacy for as long as I live.
And for my mother who I’m can certain can hear me now, I want you to know that you were everything to me for the 30 years of my life that I was fortunate enough to spend with you. You gave me everything and held nothing back. God truly blessed me by making me your daughter. I love you and look forward to our next journey together.
______________________________________________________________________________________
I'll be writing more later today or tomorrow about what's been happening with me over the last few weeks and how I intend to honor my mother's legacy going forward in my life.
God bless!
Lauren
Holy Spirit's Father Carlos Velazquez so lovingly brought us comfort through his thoughtful words and Letty Spain shared her beautiful voice with us throughout the mass. She had us all in tears with her Ave Maria - a song that my mother chose for her service and loved so much. All those who shared remarks of remembrance perfectly captured exactly who my mother was, and the legacy that will live on in our hearts forever.
As a tribute to my mother, I have decided to post the eulogy that I delievered for her at the service. Her legacy as a mother is profound and inspirational beyond measure. For that reason, I think it's worth sharing...
______________________________________________________
Celebrating the Life of my Mother Suzanne
delivered at her Mass and Memorial Service - April 29, 2010
Hello my name is Lauren and I’m Suzanne’s oldest daughter. On behalf of my mom’s husband Ray, my brother Christopher, my sisters Becky, Ashley and Mandy and my husband Cris, we would like to thank you for coming today to celebrate the life of my mother Suzanne.
Before I speak about my mother, I would like to take a moment to say thank you to those that have been an instrumental in supporting my family throughout the last few years and especially during our most difficult times.
Father Carlos – You’ve been part of our lives for over 18 years serving as our spiritual mentor and friend. My mother was so grateful for the guidance and comfort you provided her especially in her times of worry and uncertainty. For that, we thank you and we appreciate your help in celebrating my mother’s life today.
Letty Spain – You are such a beautiful vocalist and we thank you for sharing your voice with us today.
To Ann, Velia and the people of Pasteur Plaza Surgery Center who worked with my mom - you all witnessed her struggles first hand and never hesitated to lend a helping hand when she needed it the most. My mother was deeply humbled by your generosity demonstrated over and over and over again throughout the years. You all donated hundreds of hours of vacation time so my mother could keep her medical benefits when she could no longer go to work. The thought of this often brought her to tears. Words could never express how grateful she was for your generosity and how grateful we are as a family that you lifted so many burdens in our time of need. You will always hold a special place in our hearts.
To Dr. Fred Massey, his nurse Jo Ann and all of the staff at Dr. Massey’s office – You always treated my mother with dignity and respect and while she didn’t necessarily love coming to your office, she always knew that she was in good hands once she arrived. And Dr. Massey, my mother always found great joy in conquering your serious nature. It was her mission to make you laugh every time she saw you and from the stories I’ve heard I think she did a pretty good job.
To My mom’s best friend Norma – I love you and my family loves you from the bottom of our hearts. You sacrificed countless hours with your own family to become part of ours. We would not have been able to function without your presence. Thank you for helping us organize this beautiful service today, thank you for all of the cooking and cleaning you have done for Ray and the girls over the last few months and most importantly thank you for making my mother laugh when no one else could. We love you dearly.
To my husband and the Lara family –It is because of you that I was able to spend countless days with my mother. Time that was and will always be so precious to me. I will never ever forget your generosity and I love all of you very much.
To my family and to Ray’s family - A big thank you to all of you for also helping us organize this service for my mother today. We couldn’t have done it without you. And more importantly, thank you for also helping to take care of my mom, Ray and my sisters over the last few months. You will always be remembered as the ones who helped to make a very difficult time a lot less so.
And finally to everyone who brought over meals, took care of my children so I could be with my mother, gave my sisters rides to and from school, sent my mom positive messages and said countless prayers in our times of need, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your unending support.
My mother Suzanne was born on June 1, 1954 to Blanche and Gerald Kuykendall. She was the fifth child in her family of eight children which includes Junior, Michael, Priscilla, Sylvia, Hardy, Jeff and Andy.
She was a student at St. Anne’s Catholic School, Blessed Sacrament School and she graduated from Robert E Lee HS in 1972.
In a family where there was plenty of height to go around, Susie only reached a modest 5 feet 4 inches. The shortest in her family. But her size was no indication of her strength, her vigor, her energy, her ability to hold her own. As a child my blond-haired, green-eyed mother craved the sunshine. She spent endless hours outdoors… and for this reason she was always the most tan in the family. Mom’s siblings say as a child she was feisty, she was fun, she loved to laugh, and her imagination was unlike any other in the family. She loved roller derby, she loved all sports and she had no problem keeping up with her brothers… all 5 of them.
In mom’s 20’s she began to really explore who she was and what she loved. She always loved music and wanted to play an instrument so she took piano lessons. She loved theater so she took acting lessons. And perhaps the biggest highlight of her 20’s, in my humble opinion was giving birth to me and my brother Christopher. It was also during this time that she established her career in the health care field. Establishing this career meant the formation of a work ethic which mirrored that of her mother Blanche. Day after day, and into her 30s she went to work, she came home and prepared us home cooked meals, she helped us with our homework and she stayed up late every night maintaining our house and trying to sneak in a little time for herself. Because our weekdays were filled with work and school, work and school I’d say it was perhaps on the weekends when some of her greatest lessons were taught.
I happen to have 3 personal favorites.
Lesson 1 – Love God first, be a good Christian and proclaim God’s word with passion. This lesson was conveyed to us in not just in words but more so ACTIONS growing up. As a child mom would take my brother and I to church Sunday after Sunday. She was always involved in one way or another whether it be as a Lector, Eucharistic Minister an RCIA sponsor, or a CCD teacher. And during Sunday mass, she would deliver the readings with enthusiasm and heart. As a child I thought her delivery was a little intense, but as I grew older I knew it was because she had such a passion for the message she was conveying. She laid the foundation for our Christian beliefs – a gift from her I cherish most.
Moving on to the next big lesson - Lesson 2: If you want something done, simply do it yourself. Her method of teaching us this lesson was well, a little extreme but it worked. Lesson learned mom. At seven years old, we lived in a rental house across the street from my Grandmother’s and my mother decided that the exterior of the house was looking a little worn and needed to be repainted. So on one particular weekend after getting permission from the owner, she didn’t hire professionals, she didn’t ask for help, she just bought the paint and painted the entire outside of our house all by herself. Just another typical weekend in our house.
Perhaps the lesson that she loved to teach us most was that of Lesson 3 - The physical body can do much if your mental capacity says so. In other words toughen up, or suck it up! And as I’ve gotten older I’ve decided that tough by mom’s standards is probably a little different than most. Tough meant taking hikes in the middle of the Texas summer heat throughout Eisenhower Park for exercise and fun. I have vivid memories of my brother and I as small children sweating and breathing heavy and being overly parched and falling on the rocks and maybe even shedding a few tears as we endured these hikes… but she pushed us forward for what felt like forever. When you think about it, it was a pretty clever method to teach us this lesson I’d say… I mean, where could we go? We were in the middle of a trail, in the middle of the park and we had to get back to our car somehow, right? Just keep going. Must keep walking.
And another lesson about being tough - it’s okay to be the only third grade girl on an all boys soccer team. I can remember playing a soccer game on a field filled with stickers (you know, the ones that hurt!) and I had been pushed down by another player. As I’m laying there face planted into the ground, for sure experiencing the worst pain I’d ever felt in my whole life, I was certain that my mom was on her way to the field to help me stand up. But nope. Instead of helping me up, she just yelled from the sidelines, “get up Lauren.” “You’re fine!” I wasn’t fine but I collected every ounce of “suck it up” attitude that my mom had been teaching me for a whole 8 years of life and little by little I picked myself up off of the field. And while it may have been a little harsh, I guess there are few better ways to teach a child that if you fall down, get back up and keep going. So I did. In pain. Thanks mom.
Her lessons have resonated with me throughout my childhood and into my adulthood and new memories were made as I witnessed the additions of Ray, Rebecca, Ashley and Mandy into our family. All of you stimulated sides of my mother that made her truly who she was meant to be. I think it's important to highlight how you all have done so.
I’ll start with Ray - My fondest memories and stories about my mom and Ray involve how much they loved to watch and critique movies together and how they argued over who got to read which portion of the newspaper first… which was usually the Star. They would take turns reading the newest Michael Crichton novel or any one of my mom’s other 15 favorite authors. And I was always impressed how you two could read 800 page novels in basically about two days.
Perhaps the best stories come from any given day in which they decided to play Scrabble, or Trivial Pursuit , the Wii or a game of Washers together at Rose and Johns house! You see, to say my mom was competitive is sort of an understatement. To say that Ray is competitive is sort of an understatement. The truth is, that even when I was 10, my mother wouldn’t let me win at a game of Connect Four. So Ray didn’t stand a chance. But I digress. Ray, thank you for enlightening my mom by letting her be the true competitor that she was, making her laugh unlike any other and taking the blame when the Spurs lost, even if it was never your fault at all.
To Becky - you possess so many qualities of mom but perhaps the most endearing is your ability to love unconditionally and your ability to not sweat the small stuff. You keep things simple just like mom and accept people just as they are. I loved how mom and you and Ashley and Mandy all loved to watch your favorite movies together like Pride and Prejudice, and the original Romeo and Juliet and how you all sang together at the top of your lungs with any given Dixie Chicks or Kelly Clarkson song on the radio. Mom always raved about how thoughtful of a child you were and continue to be and I thank you for making her so proud.
To Ashley - I will forever have a vision of you attached to mom’s leg etched into my mind. I know how much you loved to hold on to her leg and as you grew older how much you loved wrapping your arms around her and taking in her smell. You look the most like mom and because of this, I think she thought she could make you do any of the things that she never got to do as a child. As you well know her favorite one of these “forced activities” was making you play the violin. But lo and behold after three short years you become one of the best in the city. And of course mom would take all the credit for this. Ashley, listening to you play the violin brought mom so much joy. Thank you for enlightening her in this way.
To Mandy - my mom loved you like one of her own. Thank you for calling her the “pretty lady” and always bringing my mom many gifts of jewelry that you had made for her. Mom always told me that you were the most polite in the household and she was always impressed with your manners.
To all of my sisters, to my niece Chloe and to my children Benjamin and Madeline, I always will do my best to continue sharing the stories that defined mom’s extraordinary legacy for as long as I live.
And for my mother who I’m can certain can hear me now, I want you to know that you were everything to me for the 30 years of my life that I was fortunate enough to spend with you. You gave me everything and held nothing back. God truly blessed me by making me your daughter. I love you and look forward to our next journey together.
______________________________________________________________________________________
I'll be writing more later today or tomorrow about what's been happening with me over the last few weeks and how I intend to honor my mother's legacy going forward in my life.
God bless!
Lauren
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Suzanne's obituary
Suzanne's obituary has been published in the San Antonio Express News today and can be viewed online by clicking here: Suzanne's obituary.
Because Suzanne's obituary can only be viewed online until May 27, 2010, I am posting the text of the obituary below so that we will always have it....
KUYKENDALL
Suzanne Marie Kuykendall was born on June 1, 1954 in San Antonio, Texas and was called home to be with the Lord on April 24, 2010 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. While her life with us seems all too short, Suzanne's legacy is profound and will live on in our hearts forever. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and friend, she had a tender heart and a gracious spirit. Suzanne dedicated a career to health care for over 30 years and led a life enlightened by her gift for writing, love for the outdoors, reading and giving back to those in need. Suzanne was preceded in death by her father, Gerald L. Kuykendall. She is survived by her mother Blanche M. Kuykendall, husband Ray Rodriguez, daughter Lauren M. Lara and husband Cristobal A. Lara, son Christopher M. Guerra, daughters Rebecca Anne Rodriguez and Ashley Marie Rodriguez, stepdaughter Amanda Jane Rodriguez, grandchildren Chloe Meagan Guerra and Benjamin and Madeline Cate Lara, sisters Priscilla Grota (Jim), Sylvia Middleton (Jeff), brothers Gerald Kuykendall, Jr. (Patti), Michael Kuykendall (Connie), Gerard Kuykendall, Jeffrey Kuykendall (Amanda), Andrew Kuykendall, father-in-law Robert Rodriguez, mother-in-law Olga Martinez (Danny), sister-in-law Rebecca Rodriguez, sister-in-law Rose Ann Faubush (John) and beloved friend Norma Gomez (Julian). A mass and memorial service for Suzanne will be held Thursday, April 29, 2010, 10:30 am at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in the name of Suzanne Kuykendall to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (www.ocrf.org).
Published in Express-News on April 27, 2010
And here are the comments that have been made in the online guestbook honoring Suzanne:
_______________________________
May 3, 2010
Sylvia & Priscilla,
I am saddened & so very sorry to hear of Susie's passing. She was so sweet & patient. I know that y'all will miss her very much. Y'all will be in my prayers.
Billy Gibson
______________________________
April 29, 2010
My deepest sympathy to Suzanne's family. I was shocked to learn of her passing. I worked with Suzanne many years ago. We worked for Dr. Ed Liske. I was only a part time employee, but we became very friendly. She was always talking about her children and what great kids they were. Go forward in your lives and keep your mothers wonderful spirit alive. God Bless you.
~ Bobbie, San Antonio, Texas
_____________________________
April 29, 2010
My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.
~ Yolanda Kent Blackwell, New Orleans, Louisiana
____________________________________
April 28, 2010
Lauren,Chris,Rebecca and Ashley
Our deepest Sympathy for your entire family. May the peace of the lord be with you all. Know that our prayers are with you now and always.
~ Fred & Irma Guerra
______________________________________
April 28, 2010
I am so very saddened by the news of Suzanne's passing. I worked with your mom at the surgery center. I wasn't there all the time so when I came in I always looked forward to friendly banter with Suzanne. No one would dare try to pull a fast one with Suzanne on the job. I loved her spirit and her acceptance of the people in her life. I am so blessed for having known your mom. I will miss her terribly when I go back to the center for a visit; it just won't be the same without her. Thank you for sharing your mom with us.
~ Kathleen Kredell, San Antonio
______________________________________
April 28, 2010
Sweet friend Lauren,
Please accept our most heartfelt sympathies for your loss…our thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time.
~ Blake & Christine Wright, San Antonio, Texas
_________________________________
April 28, 2010
My Dearest, Beautiful Sister, There are no words to describe my broken spirit with the passing of you passionate soul. Our lives will never be the same. It is a part of our journey in life which I never wanted to experience. All your brothers and sisters were truly blessed to have you in our lives. We were bonded by blood, but it is in our love for each other that keeps us together forever in our hearts. You are such an inspiration, with your strength,love, laughter, generosity,compassion, I really could go on forever. Although your life here on earth was all too brief, you sister, managed to make it a great one. It really shows in your wonderful family you created, Ray, Lauren, Chris, Rebecca and Ashley. You have done a tremendous job and have touch many souls in your journey here . I have sooo many wonderful memories of you and my memory is very, very long. Susie, you fought a courageous battle and I prayed & prayed that God would allow you to remain in our lives a little longer. But I guess He saw that you were tired and He needed you in heaven with Him. So with that, I can allow you to go and know that you are at peace and happy, and that I have my little Sister Angel in heaven to watch over all of us. I will Love you Forever,
Sylvia
~ Sylvia Middleton, San Antonio, Texas
______________________________
April 28, 2010
We are very sorry for your loss of Suzanne and her beautiful smile. May you take comfort in knowing that she is no longer suffering. We shall keep her and your family in our prayers.
~ Ginny & Bob Cohen, San Antonio, Texas
_______________________________
April 27, 2010
Ray, Rebecca. Amanda, Ashley, and family members, our prayers are with you. Suzanne was such a kind-spirited and wonderful person who was full of life and love. I have not seen her for several years since our girls (Rebecca and Ashley) played ball together at Blessed Sacrament CYO games, but I have always cherished the friendship and encouragement she gave me. I will truly miss her.
(Rachel, Rey, Magenta & Waverly Reyes)
________________________________
April 27, 2010
Ray, Blanche, Lauren, Christopher, Rebecca, Ashley, Amanda, and family of Suzanne; my deepest sympathy for each and everyone of you. I will continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Suze fought long and hard! She was truly a sweet person and loved so much. She will be deeply missed on this earth. I know GOD was waiting to welcome her home with open arms . We were all blessed to have her in our lives! I pray that each of you find the strength to go forward. Much Love Charlene (Ezzell) Ewing.
~ Charlene Ewing, San Antonio, Texas
________________________________
April 27, 2010
Although I've only known Suzanne for about a year and a half,that was enough for me to have known what a wonderful, sweet, full of life and caring person she was. Suzanne definitely brought so many gifts to everyone's life. I will never forget her! My heart goes out to you and your family in your time of sorrow! Lorna~ (former co-worker @ Pasteur Plaza Medical Cntr- Recovery Room Nurse)
~ Lorna Herrera-Ignacio, San Antonio, Texas
__________________________________
April 27, 2010
My Dearest Aunt Blanche and cousins, I am sorry for the loss of your loving daughter, sister, mother and wife Suzie. We all will miss her very much, Mom, Dad, John B. and I will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. May God's strength and love be with you all forever. Love Kayla
~ Kayla Handrick, Pasadena, Texas
________________________________
April 27, 2010
We were so sorry to hear of your loss. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help at this time.
~ Mrs. Martinez/Eisenhower Middle School, san antonio, Texas
_______________________________
April 27, 2010
Blanche and family
I'm so sorry for your loss. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers during your time of sorrow.
~ Deb Kainer, San Antonio, Texas
_______________________________
April 27, 2010
Words can never express my sincere sympathy to the family for their loss.
I consider myself Blessed to have been a part of Suzie life's journey. We have shared triumphs and sorrows for over 30 years! Memories I will cherish for the rest of my life. ..
...I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. II Timothy 4:7
Rest in Peace My Friend!!
Blessings~
~ Vanessa Kent, San Antonio, Texas
_____________________________
April 27, 2010
Lauren,Chris and family,my heart is feeling your pain...I wish I could find words to say to you to relief the pain you are feeling, but I want you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers and extend my deepest sympathy to your entire family.
Con Mucho Cariño,
Mary Helen, Tom and Family
____________________________
April 27, 2010
Our thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of greif. May God bless your family.
Love Your Cousin,
Gery, Mary Gill and Family
__________________________
April 27, 2010
I'm so sorry for your loss. I will never forget her kind smile, calm demeanor and warm personality. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.
~ Leana Divine, Seoul
__________________________
April 27, 2010
Jeff and Amanda, I am so sorry to hear of the passing of your sister. You are all in my prayers
~ Patricia Campa, San Antonio, Texas
Because Suzanne's obituary can only be viewed online until May 27, 2010, I am posting the text of the obituary below so that we will always have it....
KUYKENDALL
Suzanne Marie Kuykendall was born on June 1, 1954 in San Antonio, Texas and was called home to be with the Lord on April 24, 2010 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. While her life with us seems all too short, Suzanne's legacy is profound and will live on in our hearts forever. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and friend, she had a tender heart and a gracious spirit. Suzanne dedicated a career to health care for over 30 years and led a life enlightened by her gift for writing, love for the outdoors, reading and giving back to those in need. Suzanne was preceded in death by her father, Gerald L. Kuykendall. She is survived by her mother Blanche M. Kuykendall, husband Ray Rodriguez, daughter Lauren M. Lara and husband Cristobal A. Lara, son Christopher M. Guerra, daughters Rebecca Anne Rodriguez and Ashley Marie Rodriguez, stepdaughter Amanda Jane Rodriguez, grandchildren Chloe Meagan Guerra and Benjamin and Madeline Cate Lara, sisters Priscilla Grota (Jim), Sylvia Middleton (Jeff), brothers Gerald Kuykendall, Jr. (Patti), Michael Kuykendall (Connie), Gerard Kuykendall, Jeffrey Kuykendall (Amanda), Andrew Kuykendall, father-in-law Robert Rodriguez, mother-in-law Olga Martinez (Danny), sister-in-law Rebecca Rodriguez, sister-in-law Rose Ann Faubush (John) and beloved friend Norma Gomez (Julian). A mass and memorial service for Suzanne will be held Thursday, April 29, 2010, 10:30 am at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in the name of Suzanne Kuykendall to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (www.ocrf.org).
Published in Express-News on April 27, 2010
And here are the comments that have been made in the online guestbook honoring Suzanne:
_______________________________
May 3, 2010
Sylvia & Priscilla,
I am saddened & so very sorry to hear of Susie's passing. She was so sweet & patient. I know that y'all will miss her very much. Y'all will be in my prayers.
Billy Gibson
______________________________
April 29, 2010
My deepest sympathy to Suzanne's family. I was shocked to learn of her passing. I worked with Suzanne many years ago. We worked for Dr. Ed Liske. I was only a part time employee, but we became very friendly. She was always talking about her children and what great kids they were. Go forward in your lives and keep your mothers wonderful spirit alive. God Bless you.
~ Bobbie, San Antonio, Texas
_____________________________
April 29, 2010
My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.
~ Yolanda Kent Blackwell, New Orleans, Louisiana
____________________________________
April 28, 2010
Lauren,Chris,Rebecca and Ashley
Our deepest Sympathy for your entire family. May the peace of the lord be with you all. Know that our prayers are with you now and always.
~ Fred & Irma Guerra
______________________________________
April 28, 2010
I am so very saddened by the news of Suzanne's passing. I worked with your mom at the surgery center. I wasn't there all the time so when I came in I always looked forward to friendly banter with Suzanne. No one would dare try to pull a fast one with Suzanne on the job. I loved her spirit and her acceptance of the people in her life. I am so blessed for having known your mom. I will miss her terribly when I go back to the center for a visit; it just won't be the same without her. Thank you for sharing your mom with us.
~ Kathleen Kredell, San Antonio
______________________________________
April 28, 2010
Sweet friend Lauren,
Please accept our most heartfelt sympathies for your loss…our thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time.
~ Blake & Christine Wright, San Antonio, Texas
_________________________________
April 28, 2010
My Dearest, Beautiful Sister, There are no words to describe my broken spirit with the passing of you passionate soul. Our lives will never be the same. It is a part of our journey in life which I never wanted to experience. All your brothers and sisters were truly blessed to have you in our lives. We were bonded by blood, but it is in our love for each other that keeps us together forever in our hearts. You are such an inspiration, with your strength,love, laughter, generosity,compassion, I really could go on forever. Although your life here on earth was all too brief, you sister, managed to make it a great one. It really shows in your wonderful family you created, Ray, Lauren, Chris, Rebecca and Ashley. You have done a tremendous job and have touch many souls in your journey here . I have sooo many wonderful memories of you and my memory is very, very long. Susie, you fought a courageous battle and I prayed & prayed that God would allow you to remain in our lives a little longer. But I guess He saw that you were tired and He needed you in heaven with Him. So with that, I can allow you to go and know that you are at peace and happy, and that I have my little Sister Angel in heaven to watch over all of us. I will Love you Forever,
Sylvia
~ Sylvia Middleton, San Antonio, Texas
______________________________
April 28, 2010
We are very sorry for your loss of Suzanne and her beautiful smile. May you take comfort in knowing that she is no longer suffering. We shall keep her and your family in our prayers.
~ Ginny & Bob Cohen, San Antonio, Texas
_______________________________
April 27, 2010
Ray, Rebecca. Amanda, Ashley, and family members, our prayers are with you. Suzanne was such a kind-spirited and wonderful person who was full of life and love. I have not seen her for several years since our girls (Rebecca and Ashley) played ball together at Blessed Sacrament CYO games, but I have always cherished the friendship and encouragement she gave me. I will truly miss her.
(Rachel, Rey, Magenta & Waverly Reyes)
________________________________
April 27, 2010
Ray, Blanche, Lauren, Christopher, Rebecca, Ashley, Amanda, and family of Suzanne; my deepest sympathy for each and everyone of you. I will continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Suze fought long and hard! She was truly a sweet person and loved so much. She will be deeply missed on this earth. I know GOD was waiting to welcome her home with open arms . We were all blessed to have her in our lives! I pray that each of you find the strength to go forward. Much Love Charlene (Ezzell) Ewing.
~ Charlene Ewing, San Antonio, Texas
________________________________
April 27, 2010
Although I've only known Suzanne for about a year and a half,that was enough for me to have known what a wonderful, sweet, full of life and caring person she was. Suzanne definitely brought so many gifts to everyone's life. I will never forget her! My heart goes out to you and your family in your time of sorrow! Lorna~ (former co-worker @ Pasteur Plaza Medical Cntr- Recovery Room Nurse)
~ Lorna Herrera-Ignacio, San Antonio, Texas
__________________________________
April 27, 2010
My Dearest Aunt Blanche and cousins, I am sorry for the loss of your loving daughter, sister, mother and wife Suzie. We all will miss her very much, Mom, Dad, John B. and I will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. May God's strength and love be with you all forever. Love Kayla
~ Kayla Handrick, Pasadena, Texas
________________________________
April 27, 2010
We were so sorry to hear of your loss. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help at this time.
~ Mrs. Martinez/Eisenhower Middle School, san antonio, Texas
_______________________________
April 27, 2010
Blanche and family
I'm so sorry for your loss. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers during your time of sorrow.
~ Deb Kainer, San Antonio, Texas
_______________________________
April 27, 2010
Words can never express my sincere sympathy to the family for their loss.
I consider myself Blessed to have been a part of Suzie life's journey. We have shared triumphs and sorrows for over 30 years! Memories I will cherish for the rest of my life. ..
...I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. II Timothy 4:7
Rest in Peace My Friend!!
Blessings~
~ Vanessa Kent, San Antonio, Texas
_____________________________
April 27, 2010
Lauren,Chris and family,my heart is feeling your pain...I wish I could find words to say to you to relief the pain you are feeling, but I want you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers and extend my deepest sympathy to your entire family.
Con Mucho Cariño,
Mary Helen, Tom and Family
____________________________
April 27, 2010
Our thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of greif. May God bless your family.
Love Your Cousin,
Gery, Mary Gill and Family
__________________________
April 27, 2010
I'm so sorry for your loss. I will never forget her kind smile, calm demeanor and warm personality. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.
~ Leana Divine, Seoul
__________________________
April 27, 2010
Jeff and Amanda, I am so sorry to hear of the passing of your sister. You are all in my prayers
~ Patricia Campa, San Antonio, Texas
Monday, April 26, 2010
Mass and Memorial Service for Suzanne
A mass and memorial service will be held for my beloved mother Suzanne Kuykendall this Thursday, April 29, 2010, 10:30am at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Holy Spirit is located at 758 West Ramsey, San Antonio, TX 78216. The entrance to the church faces Blanco Road.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations in her name be made to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.
Thank you.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations in her name be made to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.
Thank you.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Psalm 4:4 Know that the Lord works wonders for the faithful; the Lord hears when I call out.
Psalm 4:4 Know that the Lord works wonders for the faithful; the Lord hears when I call out.
With deepest sadness, I write to tell you all that my beautiful mother Suzanne was called home to be with the good Lord yesterday afternoon.
We are so thankful for the prayers you offered up to our dear God for Suzanne. We begged for peace and the good Lord responded.
In the coming days I graciously ask that you continue praying for my family and especially - my grandmother Blanche, my mom's husband Ray, my sisters Rebecca and Ashley and my brother Christopher. While we are comforted in knowing she no longer suffers, our hearts ache with this tremendous loss.
Tomorrow I will have the confirmed date and time information about her service taking place later this week at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.
With love and gratitude,
Lauren
We are so thankful for the prayers you offered up to our dear God for Suzanne. We begged for peace and the good Lord responded.
In the coming days I graciously ask that you continue praying for my family and especially - my grandmother Blanche, my mom's husband Ray, my sisters Rebecca and Ashley and my brother Christopher. While we are comforted in knowing she no longer suffers, our hearts ache with this tremendous loss.
Tomorrow I will have the confirmed date and time information about her service taking place later this week at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.
With love and gratitude,
Lauren
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Romans 8:18 - I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed to us.
Romans 8:18 - I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed to us.
This particular verse is so powerful and given our current situation, I felt like I needed to share.
I know weeks and weeks go by and many of you wait for an update, but sadly, sometimes it's just so hard to communicate what's happening. The disease process is taking its toll and slowly all of the small activities that used to come so naturally to mom are becoming more difficult for her each day.
Fortunately, Suzanne's pain has been pretty well managed with morphine and methodone over the last few weeks. In the last couple of days though, eating has become perhaps the biggest chore. She has extreme sensitivity in her mouth which makes it hard to eat almost anything and there tends to be a tremendous amount of discomfort associated with digestion. The lack of nutrition has essentially meant diminished energy and the loss of much weight.
All things considered, we're doing what we can to keep her comfortable and smiling. So speaking of smiling, here are few smile-worthy moments:
A recent highlight was Becky's Prom. Mom beamed as she saw her beautiful daughter all dressed up and ready for her night out...
Another highlight - Ashley received an honorable mention at the State level for the Reflections contest. This year's theme was "Beauty is" and Ashley's entry was an essay about our beautiful mother. It's worth noting that only 800 out of 107,000 entries received an award and Ashley was one of them. Way to go sister! Unfortunately though, Ashley did not save a copy so none of us have actually read the essay. Thanks Ashley! :) I'm sure it was amazing and we're still working on getting a copy.
Another highlight - Those sweet people at mom's work sent over an ENORMOUS card reading "We Love You Suzanne" and included lots of sweet thoughts for her. She loved it and her spirits were definitely lifted. She's very well aware that Pasteur Plaza Surgery Center is NOT the same without her and that it must be awfully quiet without hearing her opinion on a daily basis. :) (Don't worry, she's still happy to offer her opinion at home though.)
This particular verse is so powerful and given our current situation, I felt like I needed to share.
I know weeks and weeks go by and many of you wait for an update, but sadly, sometimes it's just so hard to communicate what's happening. The disease process is taking its toll and slowly all of the small activities that used to come so naturally to mom are becoming more difficult for her each day.
Fortunately, Suzanne's pain has been pretty well managed with morphine and methodone over the last few weeks. In the last couple of days though, eating has become perhaps the biggest chore. She has extreme sensitivity in her mouth which makes it hard to eat almost anything and there tends to be a tremendous amount of discomfort associated with digestion. The lack of nutrition has essentially meant diminished energy and the loss of much weight.
All things considered, we're doing what we can to keep her comfortable and smiling. So speaking of smiling, here are few smile-worthy moments:
A recent highlight was Becky's Prom. Mom beamed as she saw her beautiful daughter all dressed up and ready for her night out...
I was the chauffeur for the evening and sister Ashley was my co-pilot..
Another highlight - Ashley received an honorable mention at the State level for the Reflections contest. This year's theme was "Beauty is" and Ashley's entry was an essay about our beautiful mother. It's worth noting that only 800 out of 107,000 entries received an award and Ashley was one of them. Way to go sister! Unfortunately though, Ashley did not save a copy so none of us have actually read the essay. Thanks Ashley! :) I'm sure it was amazing and we're still working on getting a copy.
Another highlight - Those sweet people at mom's work sent over an ENORMOUS card reading "We Love You Suzanne" and included lots of sweet thoughts for her. She loved it and her spirits were definitely lifted. She's very well aware that Pasteur Plaza Surgery Center is NOT the same without her and that it must be awfully quiet without hearing her opinion on a daily basis. :) (Don't worry, she's still happy to offer her opinion at home though.)
As the days move forward, I can't promise to write with consistency, but I will certainly try.
We need your continued prayers that the good Lord eases Suzanne's pain and suffering and brings her peace.
I also request continued prayers for my family -- that we may continue to stay strong and allow God's grace to get us through each day.
Romans (8:24-25) For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.
Monday, March 29, 2010
What a weekend.
Prior to this weekend, the last couple of weeks had been okay... not great, but not terrible either. The hospice nurses were making weekly visits and Suzanne's pain had been pretty well maintained with methodone and hydrocodone. As recently as last Thursday, my children and I had dinner with mom at her house and Madeline and Benjamin kept her smiling and laughing the entire time we were there. Such a treat.
And then Saturday came. A day like no other and one I hope we don't repeat ever again. The suffering that Suzanne went through that day was in one word - AWFUL. The pain was unlike anything she had felt before and for the entire day eating was impossible because she couldn't keep anything down. By the evening a nurse came out and suggested that she start taking morphine to tackle the pain. Within a few hours Suzanne finally found some comfort and was able to get some rest.
Yesterday Suzanne was able to remain fairly comfortable and rest most of the day. Fortunately she also regained some of her appetite. I laughed last night as she took a few minutes to catch up on the Sunday gossip in the "Star". She informed us that little Suri Cruise now has a $38,000 Cadillac toy car. And even later in the evening Ray said she was cracking up at the Apprentice and all the ding dongs on that show. :)
Today Susie has been moving around a little more so we're happy to see that we've gotten better control of the pain.
We need your continued prayers for Suzanne this week. Please pray that her pain subsides and that her heart, mind and body remain at peace. Please also keep Ray and our family in your prayers so that we may contine providing her the best care and companionship possible.
With love,
Lauren
And then Saturday came. A day like no other and one I hope we don't repeat ever again. The suffering that Suzanne went through that day was in one word - AWFUL. The pain was unlike anything she had felt before and for the entire day eating was impossible because she couldn't keep anything down. By the evening a nurse came out and suggested that she start taking morphine to tackle the pain. Within a few hours Suzanne finally found some comfort and was able to get some rest.
Yesterday Suzanne was able to remain fairly comfortable and rest most of the day. Fortunately she also regained some of her appetite. I laughed last night as she took a few minutes to catch up on the Sunday gossip in the "Star". She informed us that little Suri Cruise now has a $38,000 Cadillac toy car. And even later in the evening Ray said she was cracking up at the Apprentice and all the ding dongs on that show. :)
Today Susie has been moving around a little more so we're happy to see that we've gotten better control of the pain.
We need your continued prayers for Suzanne this week. Please pray that her pain subsides and that her heart, mind and body remain at peace. Please also keep Ray and our family in your prayers so that we may contine providing her the best care and companionship possible.
With love,
Lauren
Thursday, March 18, 2010
One day at a time
Hi family and friends. Sorry for the break in posts. We've had lots going on with our little Susie so it's been tough to sit down and just write.
Thankfully Spring Break has arrived and yesterday Suzanne took a little road trip to San Pedro Park with Ray and the girls to see the natural springs. It was such a beautiful day and mom really enjoyed taking in the sunshine and spending time with her favorite people.
Over the last few weeks, Suzanne has spent most of her time at home resting. As most of you know, chemotherapy was not working so we've come to a point in which we are simply trying to keep her comfortable. The wonderful people of Christus Santa Rosa have started coming by her house to check on her and make sure she has everything she needs for pain and other medical issues.
I kindly ask for your continued prayers for Suzanne, particularly that God grant her the peace and comfort she needs right now. I also ask for prayers for my family as this challenging time can be so much to process.
Finally, I would like to express how grateful we are for all of the love and support we have received over the last few weeks. We are so blessed to have such an abundance of family and friends that consistently make sure we have everything we need. A BIG THANK YOU TO:
- Ray's wonderful family who in addition to taking care of all of us, always see to it that Becky and Ashley have a busy social calender. :)
- Norma who offers priceless company to my mother, cooks for our family all the time and takes my sisters on shopping excursions.
- My wonderful husband, everyone in my husband's family, Terri and all of my San Antonio friends who have taken care of my children over and over again for the last few months so that I can spend time with my beautiful mother.
- The AMAZING people of Pasteur Plaza Surgery Center who have donated HUNDREDS of hours to my mom so she could continue to receive medical benefits and a paycheck. Words could never express how much your generosity means to us and we are eternally grateful.
- To all of you who offer prayers and send messages... they are our source of strength and we appreciate them so much.
With love and promises to post again soon,
Lauren
Thankfully Spring Break has arrived and yesterday Suzanne took a little road trip to San Pedro Park with Ray and the girls to see the natural springs. It was such a beautiful day and mom really enjoyed taking in the sunshine and spending time with her favorite people.
Over the last few weeks, Suzanne has spent most of her time at home resting. As most of you know, chemotherapy was not working so we've come to a point in which we are simply trying to keep her comfortable. The wonderful people of Christus Santa Rosa have started coming by her house to check on her and make sure she has everything she needs for pain and other medical issues.
I kindly ask for your continued prayers for Suzanne, particularly that God grant her the peace and comfort she needs right now. I also ask for prayers for my family as this challenging time can be so much to process.
Finally, I would like to express how grateful we are for all of the love and support we have received over the last few weeks. We are so blessed to have such an abundance of family and friends that consistently make sure we have everything we need. A BIG THANK YOU TO:
- Ray's wonderful family who in addition to taking care of all of us, always see to it that Becky and Ashley have a busy social calender. :)
- Norma who offers priceless company to my mother, cooks for our family all the time and takes my sisters on shopping excursions.
- My wonderful husband, everyone in my husband's family, Terri and all of my San Antonio friends who have taken care of my children over and over again for the last few months so that I can spend time with my beautiful mother.
- The AMAZING people of Pasteur Plaza Surgery Center who have donated HUNDREDS of hours to my mom so she could continue to receive medical benefits and a paycheck. Words could never express how much your generosity means to us and we are eternally grateful.
- To all of you who offer prayers and send messages... they are our source of strength and we appreciate them so much.
With love and promises to post again soon,
Lauren
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