My Dear Aunt Edna loved travel. She had traveled from the time she was in college (~1936) till her last trip in 1990. Among her travels she went around the world and especially loved Africa and Alaska. She was so interested in photography and took pictures on all of her trips. She made friends where ever she went and had tons of letter from people she had met.
After she married Cal, her 2nd husband on New Years Day, 1989, they had gone on a cruise to Panama and enjoyed going through the Panama Canal. They had so much fun on that cruise, but by the time the cruise ended Cal realized his cancer in remission had returned. Till the end of October of that year, they went through the pain of all what goes along with treatments, hospice and Cal's death.
They had planned to go on many cruises and travels. The next one was to be to Fiji, Austrailia and New Zealand in Spring of 1990. Aunt Edna decided to go on that tour and she asked me to go with her since Cal was gone. It was a great trip and she did so well. It was her last real trip, although Cathy, Luke and I did fly her down to LA to reminice her 1940's years.
About 1991, she started to have tiny strokes (TIAs). They didn't seem to cause any problems but they were a worry to her. She also started feeling that things were just not right. Eventually she was really concerned things were changing for her. When she got lost in her own town when coming back from a long drive to visit her son, she knew something was wrong. That incident convinced her she needed to give up her car. A big step of giving up some independence. But wise because dementia/Alzhimers symptoms were starting to emerge.
As years went by she starting loosing memory. She had told me that she took all those photos on her trips so that when she couldn't travel any more she could just enjoy the photos like she was on the trip. But then came the time when she could not remember the trips even when she saw the photos.
So, we are taking Aunt Edna with us on our cruise. She would have loved it!
We have a few little things in her memory planned. Jen made the beautiful door hanging (above) for our room on the cruise. I am bringing several of her scarves with us and we will incorporate something around them. Anyhow, her spirit will certainly be with us!
After she married Cal, her 2nd husband on New Years Day, 1989, they had gone on a cruise to Panama and enjoyed going through the Panama Canal. They had so much fun on that cruise, but by the time the cruise ended Cal realized his cancer in remission had returned. Till the end of October of that year, they went through the pain of all what goes along with treatments, hospice and Cal's death.
They had planned to go on many cruises and travels. The next one was to be to Fiji, Austrailia and New Zealand in Spring of 1990. Aunt Edna decided to go on that tour and she asked me to go with her since Cal was gone. It was a great trip and she did so well. It was her last real trip, although Cathy, Luke and I did fly her down to LA to reminice her 1940's years.
About 1991, she started to have tiny strokes (TIAs). They didn't seem to cause any problems but they were a worry to her. She also started feeling that things were just not right. Eventually she was really concerned things were changing for her. When she got lost in her own town when coming back from a long drive to visit her son, she knew something was wrong. That incident convinced her she needed to give up her car. A big step of giving up some independence. But wise because dementia/Alzhimers symptoms were starting to emerge.
As years went by she starting loosing memory. She had told me that she took all those photos on her trips so that when she couldn't travel any more she could just enjoy the photos like she was on the trip. But then came the time when she could not remember the trips even when she saw the photos.
So, we are taking Aunt Edna with us on our cruise. She would have loved it!
We have a few little things in her memory planned. Jen made the beautiful door hanging (above) for our room on the cruise. I am bringing several of her scarves with us and we will incorporate something around them. Anyhow, her spirit will certainly be with us!
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