Ruby is Dying.
Ruby Jean is my mom's second oldest sister, the one who had the massive stroke in November last year. She is 80.
(Julesiepie, she was the one doing white lightning jello shots with aunt Lou Lou when you were visiting back in 2003, and we went to the 4th of July cook out)
She was rushed to the hospital last week, with liters of fluid in her chest. Tests came back this morning that one of her lungs is full of cancer - they are not planning to reinflate that lung. The tumors in the other are inoperable, though if they were, she would not likely survive surgery with the aortic aneurism she had. They plan to attempt to 'seal off' the collapsed lung so that it stops producing fluid, and hopefully keep her comfortable for the next few months. There's no plan right now to pursue treatment. We're not sure how well Ruby understands this, because she's well drugged and weak - I don't think she's eaten in almost a week now - though we weren't sure she'd still be alive a few days ago. Ruby signed a DNR a few months ago. I think maybe she is ready.
Like mom, Ruby is a coal miners daughter. She and aunt Lou are only a couple of years apart, and slept in the same bed until they were too big to fit. Growing up, they were so poor they didn't actually have enough clothes for a week at school - but between the two of them, they did, so they shared everything. They had their first babies within a couple of months of each other (which is when my mom was born as well).
When the coal mines closed and the family moved to Columbus (From Stone, Kentucky - they lived in Turner Hollow, aka Turney Holler), Ruby won a lottery to see Elvis. She took Lou, of course. Ruby still calls it the biggest night of her life.
Mom is driving over to Lou's now to break the news to her. I'm off in 45 minutes to pick up Jeff and have a good cry.
For a few years now, many folks in the family have asked me to write a history of mom's side of the family. It'd make a helluva story. The coal mines, the poverty, the horse racing... I think I just might.
(Julesiepie, she was the one doing white lightning jello shots with aunt Lou Lou when you were visiting back in 2003, and we went to the 4th of July cook out)
She was rushed to the hospital last week, with liters of fluid in her chest. Tests came back this morning that one of her lungs is full of cancer - they are not planning to reinflate that lung. The tumors in the other are inoperable, though if they were, she would not likely survive surgery with the aortic aneurism she had. They plan to attempt to 'seal off' the collapsed lung so that it stops producing fluid, and hopefully keep her comfortable for the next few months. There's no plan right now to pursue treatment. We're not sure how well Ruby understands this, because she's well drugged and weak - I don't think she's eaten in almost a week now - though we weren't sure she'd still be alive a few days ago. Ruby signed a DNR a few months ago. I think maybe she is ready.
Like mom, Ruby is a coal miners daughter. She and aunt Lou are only a couple of years apart, and slept in the same bed until they were too big to fit. Growing up, they were so poor they didn't actually have enough clothes for a week at school - but between the two of them, they did, so they shared everything. They had their first babies within a couple of months of each other (which is when my mom was born as well).
When the coal mines closed and the family moved to Columbus (From Stone, Kentucky - they lived in Turner Hollow, aka Turney Holler), Ruby won a lottery to see Elvis. She took Lou, of course. Ruby still calls it the biggest night of her life.
Mom is driving over to Lou's now to break the news to her. I'm off in 45 minutes to pick up Jeff and have a good cry.
For a few years now, many folks in the family have asked me to write a history of mom's side of the family. It'd make a helluva story. The coal mines, the poverty, the horse racing... I think I just might.