Re: Latest on Doreen

**T* C* v* g* <g*@lists.ibiblio.org>**

Heartbreaking. She's a remarkable and generous person, an accomplished gardener and author, and a friend to many. I'll always be grateful for how she encouraged me when I was first starting out.

Thanks for letting us know. Would it be an idea to raise funds in her name to benefit a gardening project she cared about, perhaps a scholarship for a young horticulturist or a local community garden?

Sadly,
Teri

Teri Dunn Chace
      Writer * Editor * Consultant * Speaker
      537 Garden St.
        Little Falls, NY 13365
        315-866-6480 
        978-317-2357 cell
        http://terichacewriter.com/
        terichace@aol.com
        LinkedIn          profile 
        GIVE FLOWERS THAT LAST. Give a copy of Seeing            Flowers!

-----Original Message-----
From: Helen Yoest <helen@gardeningwithconfidence.com>
To: GWL Writers Forum <gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wed, Mar 11, 2015 1:29 pm
Subject: [GWL] Latest on Doreen

This was posted on Doreen Howard's fb page...thought you would want to know. My
heart is so very sad....

It is with a sad and heavy heart I must report the
following;
As I have told you, she has an infection in the knee that cannot be
cured. Her liver has been failing for years. Her autoimmune system has ravaged
her body. She is incontinent, and has tubes in all parts of her body. And now,
her kidneys have shut down. The doctors asked if she wanted to go on dialysis,
and she emphatically said âNO!â The doctors asked if she knew that would kill
her, and she said âyesâ. When they asked what she wanted, she said âto die
quietly and with some dignityâ.
It is 5:00 am here. I canât sleep. Our son
David is on a plane as I write. His plane lands in Milwaukee at 8:30. He will
drive to Madison. He is coming to say his goodbyes. The doctors say that she has
days, perhaps a week or so to live.
I have watched her bravely battle this
illness for years. She has already beaten the odds with portal hypertension, and
keeping her liver going. She has fought a long and brave fight. And now, she is
exhausted. She has earned the right to die with dignity. I intend to honor her
request. She has made me promise that there will be no fuss or funeral. When she
dies, her remains are to be cremated. I asked her what to do with her ashes. She
wanted to have them scattered in the garden, so I asked for one last request. I
told her I wanted to plant a new garden, scatter the ashes, and put a plaque
saying âDoreenâs Gardenâ. She smiled, and said âThank You. I would like that
very muchâ.
I intend to keep this Facebook page open for a while after she
leaves us so that people can express their sorrows and accolades. She has been
the most marvelous person I have ever met in my entire life.
Thank you for all
your love and support. I go see her every day, and tell her about the Facebook
entries. It seems to give her some comfort. In a few days, she will no longer be
able to understand. She will slowly slip into a coma, and die quietly, as she
has requested.
I will miss her
terribly.
Pete
_______________________________________________
gardenwriters
mailing
list
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters
GWL
list website  http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters
GWL has searchable message
archives at:
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters
If you have photos for
GWL, send them to gwlphotos@hort.net and they can be viewed at 
http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos

_______________________________________________
gardenwriters mailing list
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters
GWL list website  http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters
GWL has searchable message archives at:
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters
If you have photos for GWL, send them to gwlphotos@hort.net and they can be viewed at  http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos