My mother who has been fighting
colon cancer for almost 2 years, passed away on Tuesday, August 14th, 2001
at 13:50. She is survived by her two sons and a daughter and husband. She
is one of 8 children born to my grandmother and grandfather. She was proceded
in death by her younger brother, who died at age 5, and her father.
My mother has always meant a lot to me. I guess I've always been a momma's boy. I've always tried to live up to her expectations, and most of the time, she would say I suceeded. I will always try to live up to her standards.
The photo on the left is the photo used in our passport when we immigrated to the United States in 1975. Taiwan's passport allowed for mothers to place their kids in the photo along with them, so that the mother only has to carry one passport, instead of one for each children. I am the baby on this photo, and that is my older brother.
I was always very close to my mother. This is me when I was 10 months old with my mom. She always said that I was a huge kid. My mother said that I would never walk by myself, and always had to be carried by her, not by anyone else.
This photo is actually an impromtu shot. My mother remembered that we were in the mall in Yonkers, NY and my father, who was chief resident in OB/GYN at the time in Manhatten, NY, said, let's go get a photo of all of us. You know, I remembered this time vividly. I remembered the photographer was acting so silly. He had this Tigger from Winnie the Pooh on his head, that kept on falling to the ground. For some reason, we found it hilarious, and laughed a lot.
This is our family photo in 1992. My little sister was born in Oklahoma in the early 80's. My mother always wanted a daughter, and was incredibly happy when she was born. I remembered in 2nd grade, how much joy she brought to my mother and our family.
This is our family photo in 1997
We are in the Grapevine Mills' mall having dinner in 1998.
This was taken a few months before her death. My mother was going through chemo, and things looked pretty good. The cancer was mostly stabilized, but it had already spread to her liver.
In mid July, my mother started to loose strength
in her lower extremities. Then it got worse, and we were unable to take
care of her at home. She was in Baptist Hospitals, and received the best
treatment from the doctors and nurses. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough.
This photo was taken just less than 1 week from her death. She was smiling
and singing. I spent several hours with her and slept in the room with her.
My aunt was there with her when she passed away. She said it was very peaceful.
In this is photo is my mother with one of her nurses.
I would like to thank everyone for their flowers, support, and prayers. I don't know what we would have done without everyone. I look at my photos with my mother with a smile, and realize how much of a difference she has made in my life, and how influential she was in all of my decisions. One day when I was staying with her overnight, she told me, that it's hard being a Chinese mother in America. I told her that I understand that. I told her she was the best mother there is, and she did an excellent job raising three children. I told her, she raised a dentist (my brother), a future doctor (me), and a future dentist (my little sister).
Momma....good night and sweet dreams....I love you.
Eddie