Thursday, January 15, 2009

I Will Miss You


Luella Margaret Dalgliesh April 18, 1938 - January 10, 2009
It seems to me that the good people in this world leave it far too soon.
Lou, my daughters Aunt, left us this past week after battling cancer for nearly two years.
Lou faced cancer the same way she faced life - with grace & optimism.
My fondest memory of Lou is the day she drove me to the hospital to deliver my second daughter.
The morning of November 30th, my husband left for work and as luck would have it not fifteen minutes later I had my first labor pain. This being my second child I was confident (cocky actually)that I had many hours to go so I took my time to dress and feed my first born before calling Lou. By now of course rush hour traffic, something I had forgotten to factor in, was in full force. Despite this Lou hurried from her home in Richmond to my house in New Westminster where I greeted her with fresh coffee and toast! Lou was horrified... she kept urging me to hurry. Don't worry I assured her the pains are still about 15 minutes apart - lots of time. The walk from the apartment to the car sped up my labor pains and I had no sooner strapped on my seat belt than the contractions began in earnest and were now arriving less than 5 minutes apart. Every time I had a contraction I would push my foot into the floor board and Lou would begin to panic and inform me in no uncertain terms that I could not under any circumstances have a baby in her car!!! This all struck me as hilarious and it sent me into peals of laughter to which she would yell "Don't laugh! You will make the baby come faster"! Of course this only made me laugh all the harder. Nearing the hospital she got more rattled and went in the wrong direction of the hospital adding further to her panic. Ultimately I did make it to the hospital in time and delivered my daughter almost immediately giving Lou nightmares for weeks and swearing to never drive me anywhere again. The story soon became a family favorite.

I am so happy my daughters got to know this very special person.
I will love and remember her always.

3 comments:

  1. Such a beautiful post. So sorry for your loss, Catz.
    You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

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  2. Anonymous12:09 PM

    It is good when we can celebrate knowing and loving a person. For my money, being loved and appreciated like that is the only immortality that counts.

    Lou will always be a part of you and that is the best tribute you can give her.

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  3. A beautiful tribute to a beautiful lady.

    I love your drive to the hospital story, lol...sounds like she had a great sense of humour - so important for a good life, I think anyway.

    Sorry for your loss .... {{{hugs}}}

    Take care of yourself.

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