This picture was taken about the beginning on last August, 2010 - just, just six months ago. Her and my brother-in-law had just brought up their new beautiful boat, we motored around Point Pelee from Leamington and moored in front of the cottage, jetski-taxi'd in and enjoyed an impromptu bbq before returning. What a beautiful day, now not to be repeated, now a warm, precious memory.
She was so interested in our renovations... and noticing the limited closet spaces, she later sent me up special flat hangers that maximize hanging space.
That weekend, she sometimes complained about a persistently sore hip and so went to her doctor on her return to Pittsburgh a couple of days later... who referred her to a osteopath... who, after tests.... sent her to an oncologist. Renee had an aggressive cancer.
She died Thursday morning at 4:30. Cancers had tsunamied her body, leaving her vunerable to the pneumonia that claimed her life.
Just six months to remove this vital, funny, sophisticated, generous, gutsy, loving woman. Her grace under pain and the knowledge of her shortened future was a model that I know I couldn't achieve.
Renee was a great wife, a fantastic mother, a fun sister-in-law, the favourite aunt. She loved great red wines, pates, real cheeses, authentic travel adventures. Renee was a voracious reader, she had a flat-out, truthful bawdy sense of humour, she absorbed life experiences like a sponge. Her generosity was legend, her recall of everybody's interests and lives was just one of her special characteristics.
The triteness of "life isn't fair" just doesn't do anything to describe the devastation in our family. Thanks, Renee & goodbye.... but you'll never be gone.
