My aunt Pat passed away on Thursday.. She was 64. She had been in a medically induced coma for a couple of days. Her WBC was close to zero and her platelets were nowhere close to being what they should have been. She had two transfusions and there was no change. I was told that Pat was told there was nothing more the doctors could do and she shed a tear. Sad to be leaving, but happy to be moving on and away from all the pain of this world.

Around Thanksgiving, Pat was diagnosed with lymphoma. In early Jan., she met with the same oncologist who treated my mom. I don't know if she had started on any chemo beyond what was being done to treat the amyloidosis. In any case, she came down with pneumonia and a blood infection. She was airlifted to Sioux Falls early last week and could not recover.

I feel so bad for my uncle Rich, my cousins and their kids. Having been through this a few years ago, I know what they are feeling right now and how absolutely crappy it is.

Pat was very extroverted, or at least played an extrovert whenever she was in public. I remain convinced that if Pat was put in a room with 10000 people, she'd have met them all within 12 hours. She seemed to enjoy meeting new people. Pat always had a smile on her face. She had a great sense of humor.

I remember when I was a kid, I smacked head first into a coffee table at Pat's house. I proceeded to bleed all over her (new?) carpet. Never heard a word about that.

I can also remember during one of the rare visits by Pat and her family to Lake Wilson, Pat and mom went down to the park and played on the swings. I remember all us kids wondering what the hell they were doing.

Pat was always encouraging me to sing and perform when I was a kid. Probably one of my biggest "fans" back then.

I recall that Pat did a lot of sewing, including a couple of costumes for me, including a bunny costume I wore for a play when I was in first grade.

A favorite memory of Pat: At a holiday meal at the farm, Pat had mashed the potatoes. When one of her sons-in-law put the spoon in to get some, all the contents of the bowl came up on the spoon. One huge lump of taters. It was something I would continually give Pat crap about. At the Christmas dinner after my mom passed, Pat assured me before we ate that she had nothing to do with the potatoes.

I regret that we didn't get Tylan up to meet Pat before she passed, but know that Pat has likely already looked in on her grand nieces and nephew here. I am SO happy that we saw her in August and got to hear from her that Ella reminded her so much of mom.

As I said, I'm happy that she is no longer in pain. I'm happy that she is in heaven with her sister and mother. She is, and will continue to be, missed. Love you, Pat.