Saying Goodbye Too Soon

  Like most of you, I have women in my family tree who had to live through the loss of one or more of their children.
  My paternal Grandmother, Mary Baker Hudson (1920-2910) buried a baby girl who only lived a few hours.
 

Grave of the Infant Daughter of
 Benjamin Allen Hudson (1918-1976) and Mary (Baker) Hudson (1920-2010)
Sumter Cemetery, Sumter, South Carolina 

Azile Juanita (Daughrity) Roberts Sullivan (1921-2009), my maternal Grandmother received a phone call that no mother wants to get as she learned of the death of her grown son, Gilbert Earnest Roberts, Jr. (1944-1999).

Grave of Gilbert Ernest Roberts, Jr.
Quaker Cemetery, Camden, Kershaw, South Carolina

Paternal Great Grandmother, Beulah Mae (Price) Roberts (1897-1980), survived 6 of her 12 children. Three dying in infancy and three dying in WWII.

Funeral of Roberts Brother's Killed in WWII

 Frances Virginia (McRady) McManus (1856-1903), Great Great Grandmother on my maternal side, buried her twin girls a month apart and then went on to lose two more of her children and a beloved grandchild.

Death Notice of Grandson Amos
Sumter Southron and Watchman, 9 April, 1902

  This list goes on and on as one goes back in time. Their stories sad and heartbreaking. As these life experiences are discovered my heart reaches out to them wondering how they kept going, How did the mundane tasks of every day get done?  How did they go on?

 These questions I am now asking of myself. For you see, as of this past weekend, I am joining the ranks of women who have been faced with the enormous trial of losing a child. My 12-year-old son has been diagnosed with a brain stem tumor.
 Cancer. Inoperable. Terminal.

 With the great examples before me, I will go on. There are others to take care of including myself. A child to show a lifetime of love to and make memories with.

 Wonderful family and friends will be there to support and sustain me in what will be one of the hardest trials any parent can face.
 Learning how to say goodbye too soon.

Cheri