Barbara's Timeline

As most of you know, Barb started a new round of aggressive chemo a couple of months ago. She did have more side-effects with this chemo and ran a fever that had her in the hospital early on. However, overall, she was still upbeat and positive and making plans for travel and her "bucket list" this fall.
The week of June 22, things changed. Barb started having trouble breathing so they decided to check her into the hospital to look into things further. The drs discovered that her platelet count was really low, so they had to stop all chemo treatments immediately. They were giving her oxygen and treating her mild pain and deciding what to do next, including sending her home with my aunt Nancy and hospice care. At this point we all thought we had a couple of months left. My father (Barb's brother) and mom and Aunt Nancy and Barb were able to spend a wonderful day together on Sunday, June 29 reminiscing and enjoying each other's company.
Then they discovered that the cancer was multiplying quickly and Barb began to be in more pain. The plan became to help her be as comfortable as possible and to transfer her to Aunt Nancy's as soon as they could provide pain management. On Wednesday, the put her on morphine and she was not as alert or coherent. We still thought we would have a couple of weeks with her.
On Thursday morning, the doctors told Nancy that Barb could be transported home but also that her organs were beginning to fail. We knew the end was near, but we never thought it would be this quick. Thursday afternoon we received a call from Aunt Nancy that Barb had passed at the hospital.
Plans are pending on a memorial service that will be most likely either July 24 or July 28 in Dallas, Texas. We are also discussing spreading her ashes in the Northwest and the Hill Country of Texas.
She always said she didn't want to be a burden and she didn't want to suffer. We are grateful for God's mercy in not allowing her to suffer. We know she was never a burden.
As we all absorb the news and reality of Barb's death, we will smile and be filled with joy when we think of who she was and how she lived and loved all around her.
She was always a free spirit, and now she truly is.
Please share a special memory or thought about Barb that brings a smile to your face and joy in your heart (comment below or email memoryofbarb@gmail.com). And thank you for your friendship, love and laughter that you brought to our dear Barb.