My mom returned home after spending several days at the hospital. She had been in and out of the hospital quite a few times over the past couple months. Though when she came home this time, things seemed different. Her return home wasn’t unordinary by any means; however, I just had this feeling that something wasn’t right. She had this odd calmness about her that was very unusual. My mom is usually a calm person, but when she came home, it seemed as if nothing could bother her. She didn’t seem to have a care in the world. My dad took my brother and me upstairs and into my brother’s room. The words my dad said next devastated me and would change my life forever. With a look of anguish and sorrow on his face, my dad uttered, “The doctors said there’s nothing more they can do for Mom.” My brother and Dad instantly teared up, but I for some reason just stood there speechless and with a look of sadness and disbelief on my face. I didn’t know what to think. I understood what my dad was saying and knew what was going on, but I refused to believe it. It’s not that I didn’t want to believe it; I just simply refused to believe the fact that my mother was going to die. We eventually told my sisters after we talked about the situation. Although the girls said they understood, it didn’t seem like they completely grasped the severity of the situation.

It all started two years ago when my mom became sick one day. At the time, I thought there was nothing to worry about; everyone gets sick once in awhile. However, weeks passed, and she was still sick. This was unusual for my mom because on the rare occasion that she did get sick, it wasn’t for very long.

In a very depressing way, everything became clear when my mom was taken to the hospital and was diagnosed with cancer. Luckily, the doctors said that it was a very controllable type of cancer and could be treated if properly taken care of. She fought her illness and remained strong every step of the way. After going through chemotherapy treatments and several trips to the hospital over the next year and a half, it seemed as if my mom was going to recover from her illness. My mom had to go to the hospital for a few final tests, and she was done with her treatments. However, a few months later, she was faced with more problems. Her visits to the hospital became more and more frequent. This past April, my mom came home from the hospital for the last time, but that was because she was told nothing else could be done for her. It was as if all that she went through for the past two years and her struggle to recover from her cancer was for nothing.

My dad and grandparents kept telling us to make the most of what time Mom had left and to make her last days on earth the best possible. Though I regret it now, I didn’t truly take that advice to heart at first because I thought to myself, ‘Mom will make it through this. There’s no way this can be happening.’ The sad reality hit me as day after day my mom continued to get more ill. I watched her sitting in the chair, and as time went by, her skin began to turn a pale yellowish color. It became more difficult for her to walk and eat on her own. Her condition became so grave that it came to the point where she could barely talk anymore, and it was then I realized that she wasn’t going to get better.

A few days later, my mom passed away, and on that day, it felt as if a part of me died with her. She was the person I went to her for everything, whether it be advice, comfort, or if I just needed someone to talk to. My mom was always there for me through both good times and bad. Not once did she ever fail my siblings or me when we needed her most, and she always put us before herself despite whatever troubles we were facing at the time. It kills me inside to know that I’ll never see her again or be able to spend any more time with her. When I was younger, she always pushed me on the swing in the backyard and joined my siblings and me whenever we played outside. Even though I stopped playing outside on the swing set years ago, I’ll miss the time that I spent with my mother and am saddened that I can no longer enjoy the activities that my mom and I used to do together.

The days leading up to the funeral were the saddest and most depressing days of my life. No matter what I did, I always thought about my mom and cried because it hurt knowing that I’d never see her again. I had lost one of the most important and influential people in my life, and I knew that the pain of losing her wouldn’t go away any time soon. As arrangements were made for the funeral service, I was still in disbelief of how everything went downhill so quickly. My mother’s death was so sudden and unexpected that it made me feel weak and helpless.

The days of planning passed, and the day of my mom’s funeral finally came. I didn’t know how I would be able to keep my emotions under control, as this would be the final time I would be able to say goodbye to my mom. People from all around the community came to the service to pay their respects to my mom. Though it was a very sad and somber time in my family’s life, the fact that so many people around the community came to celebrate the life of my mother was a great tribute to her. It showed what a wonderful person my mom was and made me realize how much the people in our community loved and respected her.

Even though my mom’s life is over, I know that she made the most of her time here on earth and made a positive impact in the lives of the people she met. She was a kind, patient person who always put others before her. Her passing was such a devastating event not only for my family and me but also for the whole community. Knowing the type of person my mom was, she would want me to make the most of my life just as she did. Though her “return home” came much too soon, I know my mom is in a much better place now, and she will always be with me and will always be watching over me.