Dealing with an "expiry date"

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We all know life ends. Still, it's usually almost a theoretical concept, something to which we give little thought. A cancer diagnosis brings the idea of an expiry date into sharper focus. I suspect this may be the case no matter what stage of cancer involved. I base that on information I've gotten from my cancer support groups.

This article came up on my FB feed today. The author has a very aggressive cancer, one that kills fairly quickly. It's what killed Gord Downie. This article resonated with me as a knitter. Two months to live

I have been aware of my yarn and fabric stash. I've been aware of the projects I have on my to do list. I am starting a bag for my husband this week. I'm also going to start a sweater from alpaca I bought in Ontario July 2021. I hope that my gifted projects will be loved both before and after I die. I hope to live for awhile yet for the record. :) Still, the projects do become a sort of legacy in the end.

What will you leave as a legacy?
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Northwind said:
It's what killed Gord Downie.
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And Neil Peart of Rush. Too many good people lost to that one, I am afraid.

Lovely article. I think that having something to focus, to keep you going, is probably important when facing a situation like that. So is writing about it so others can learn. We sometimes undervalue the power of writing in this media-driven age but I am glad he recognized it and shared this story.

My focus on my mortality right now comes mainly from knowing that in a year, I will have outlived my mother, who died of heart disease less than a year after my wedding. Her family all died young and I have already outlived her brother and my maternal grandfather in terms of age. Fortunately, that particular beast has not reared its ugly head in my life yet (though I do have hypertension), but now I have multiple family members with cancer so that's become a concern now whereas in the past, my family tree was largely free of it.
 
Mendalla said:
knowing that in a year, I will have outlived my mother, who died of heart disease less than a year after my wedding
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I realized I have outlived my mother by about five or six months now. She died about 8 months after our wedding. It's an odd feeling.

I created a secret FB group to provide updates to those who wanted them. It was overwhelming to think of telling people over and over again what was happening. It turned out the FB group became a form of journalling for me. I had thought of sharing some of those posts here. I may still do that. It would mean being more vulnerable than I might want to be here.
 
How many folk are lost across time? Maybe time is the enigma that is not recognized by those frozen in mortification about waking to some realizations. This may be called apocalyptic, or catastrophis in some generations ... some just deny and say WOKE is a bad state that causes some to feel responsible for something they do not know ... thus the alien theories and myths of things around the Galileon Loch ... Leons prize on fonding the portal ... or Hall alu Yah ... in France is was Louis! A state of the US had a version ... thus blown ...
 
@Luce NDs some of your comment seems to fit with this topic. It also seems to dip into political territory. If that's the case please avoid politics in this thread. Please respect my post and stay on topic.
 

@Luce NDs please respect Northwind's wishes. This is her forum and her reflections. If there are any further concerns about your posts, a ban from posting in this forum will be the next step. Thank you for your cooperation.

 
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Interesting question re legacy, Northwind.

Definitely I felt the same post treatments. I am also aware that even without cancer, the likelihood of my seeing my granddaughters in early adulthood is unlikely. They were born when I was 61 & 63.

Given that, I am aware of the importance of spending time with them to build relationship, to share story, to have them know us. But not just them. My great nieces, my sister's family, and of course, my sons.

I have been sewing for them all, but, part of my learning to make quilts is to hopefully give them something that will have staying power. (Though, the memory of the pj's made for them, or the embroidery or the pillows will also, hopefully, bring a smile).

I hope that they also remember someone who was willing to say, "i love you", but, also to know when to call out BS.

That "end date" sometimes feels closer than other days.
 
My first granddaughter was born when I was 72. Fortunately I have not been diagnosed with a terminal illness and hope to be able to celebrate her 25th birthday. There was a brief period of a couple of weeks when I was not sure I would be able to celebrate the birth of our first daughter. Diseases like cancer can really mess with our minds.
 
My sister, brother and I have all outlived my "older" sister and my mother...both died from cancer. Once I turned 62 (68 now) I've had 2 heart stents put in, melanoma surgery on my back, and a thyroid tumor that's non cancerous....I figure the heart problem will take me some day although I do worry about the malenoma spreading sometimes.
I remember my mother very well even though she was only 49 when she died and my sister who was 57....my grandchildren are 8 to 18, so on top of the memories I've given them I'm sure that my own children will pass on their memories.
I have many pictures that I need to get organized and keep putting off, but time waits for no one, so I need to get on that.
I remember my sister got a professional picture done before she died that she wanted placed on her coffin and put in the paper....she didnt die until a year after that and I remember how astounded I was that she thought of that.
 
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