Sad News.

My sister passed over yesterday. Unbelievably, she had been suffering from Breast Cancer without telling a single soul (unfortunately including her doctor). I knew she was unwell, but never dreamt it was anything so serious. She came to stay with me a couple of weeks ago, and after a couple of call outs from my own GP (who she refused to allow an examination), I eventually caught sight of what I thought was a bruise on her upper chest. When I pulled back her nightie, I was mortified by what I saw. She has never been in hospital and was too terrified to tell anyone. By then, however, it was far too late. She had been suffering with her breathing and I thought she maybe had pneumonia or pleurisy - hence my constant calls to my doc, but when the ambulance (called by my doc) arrived, it was obvious it was far far worse than I could possibly have dreamt of. Within a couple of hours of arrival at the hospital, I was told it had spread throughout her body and she had possibly 24 hours to live. I stayed with her 24 hours a day throughout the next few days and she passed Monday morning 9th June at 8.30.

I don't know what I will do without her. We drove each other nuts sometimes, as Sisters do, but she was always there for me when I needed her, and vice versa I like to think. After her husband died on March 29th this year, we only had each other. We had lost our mum when I was 12 (she was 22), and our Dad 5 years ago. We had decided to buy a house together and she was going to invest in my business so that instead of working for me, she would be a partner. She was so excited, but yet she was hiding this secret that was going to ensure none of this ever happened. Why didn't she tell me? Cos she knew I would make her have treatment - no matter what. Instead, she left it too late, and now she has gone. I am devastated.

This is the last picture I ever took of her. I took her away for her birthday in April this year. Who would have believed that 6 weeks later she would be gone.