With great sadness Amanda's family and friends said Good-bye to her over the weekend.
Amanda has been a very special friend of mine and my family's over the last 17 years and after battling for nearly two years Amanda's melanoma stole her from us.
What an amazing person Amanda is, on the Tuesday before Christmas Amanda phoned me with the heart-breaking news that her cancer had progressed too far and that her time with us was limited, little did we know quite how limited that time was, as less than four weeks later Amanda has gone. For Amanda her family and friends were so very important to her so with an upcoming birthday (today) Amanda decided to have a birthday celebration so she could spend some time with us and we with her before her time was up. That was planned for Saturday just been.
So I headed over along with most of Amanda's close friends to cherish our time together, what a hard, special weekend we had. I flew to Christchurch via Auckland, and going through domestic everything started happening a little too quickly. I bumped into Amanda's friend Janelle who had been speaking with Amanda's family that morning to find out that Amanda had declined dramatically over the last few days and was in hospice. So with lots of tears and reminiscing Janelle and I cried and chatted all the way to Christchurch.
Saturday was to be Amanda's day with us, so instead of the restaurant we had a BBQ at hospice. Amanda knew we were there with her and her family but was no longer able to hold a conversation with us. We all had our own special time with her but it's just so tragic that we have lost Amanda so soon. After a day of having most people who are close to her visiting and reminiscing Amanda slipped peacefully away in the early hours of Sunday morning with her brother and sister-in-law at her side.
I feel so privileged that Amanda's family were able to share this time with us as friends. I have taken away some very special moments that will be with me forever, a little too personal to write here and now but mean so much.
The photo of Amanda and Abigail was taken in July. I was lucky enough for Caitlin and I to go over and spend a week with them while the rest of her family were in Taiwan for her brothers wedding. It was a special week and so nice to see our girls form a lovely friendship too, I can see so much of Amanda in Abby.
I will never forget Amanda's big contageous smile, she was a genuine, fun friend who was very loyal and loving. I will miss her dearly. The pain now comes in waves and I feel it deep within my heart, especially when I think of Abby losing her Mummy so young.
Amanda has been a very special friend of mine and my family's over the last 17 years and after battling for nearly two years Amanda's melanoma stole her from us.
What an amazing person Amanda is, on the Tuesday before Christmas Amanda phoned me with the heart-breaking news that her cancer had progressed too far and that her time with us was limited, little did we know quite how limited that time was, as less than four weeks later Amanda has gone. For Amanda her family and friends were so very important to her so with an upcoming birthday (today) Amanda decided to have a birthday celebration so she could spend some time with us and we with her before her time was up. That was planned for Saturday just been.
So I headed over along with most of Amanda's close friends to cherish our time together, what a hard, special weekend we had. I flew to Christchurch via Auckland, and going through domestic everything started happening a little too quickly. I bumped into Amanda's friend Janelle who had been speaking with Amanda's family that morning to find out that Amanda had declined dramatically over the last few days and was in hospice. So with lots of tears and reminiscing Janelle and I cried and chatted all the way to Christchurch.
Saturday was to be Amanda's day with us, so instead of the restaurant we had a BBQ at hospice. Amanda knew we were there with her and her family but was no longer able to hold a conversation with us. We all had our own special time with her but it's just so tragic that we have lost Amanda so soon. After a day of having most people who are close to her visiting and reminiscing Amanda slipped peacefully away in the early hours of Sunday morning with her brother and sister-in-law at her side.
I feel so privileged that Amanda's family were able to share this time with us as friends. I have taken away some very special moments that will be with me forever, a little too personal to write here and now but mean so much.
The photo of Amanda and Abigail was taken in July. I was lucky enough for Caitlin and I to go over and spend a week with them while the rest of her family were in Taiwan for her brothers wedding. It was a special week and so nice to see our girls form a lovely friendship too, I can see so much of Amanda in Abby.
I will never forget Amanda's big contageous smile, she was a genuine, fun friend who was very loyal and loving. I will miss her dearly. The pain now comes in waves and I feel it deep within my heart, especially when I think of Abby losing her Mummy so young.
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