After work one day she picked me up and was feeling dizzy and sick in the stomach. Over the next few days she had many headaches, dizzy spells, her speech was funny, her balance was off and she was constantly being sick.

One day I went to a friend’s house after school, and while all my other friends were being picked up on time by their parents, mum was nowhere in sight. Eventually my aunt arrived, acting distracted. Once we left and were in the car, my aunt explained that that morning at work mum had collapsed, and my aunt had been called to pick up mum and take her back to her house. Once I was told this, we had to go pick up my dad and brother from the airport, find mum's car from her work, then grab mum.

"By the Sunday night, dad had finally decided that it was time"

for mum to go to the emergency room as she was getting worse and worse, and so he took her off to the local hospital. From there she was taken to a different hospital because they had no oncology unit at the first one. Over the next few days the doctors were finally able to determine that mum had a brain tumour in the speech region of her brain. It was decided that she would have surgery to remove the tumour.

Because mum had been having aspirin for her headaches, surgery couldn't be performed for another 10 days, and then it was further postponed because of complications in other people's surgeries. Eventually after Christmas in the hospital (where we set up a Christmas picnic lunch in mum's area of the room) it was time to perform the surgery on Boxing Day. Surgery went well, and the doctors were able to remove 90% of the tumour, which was great news to hear. Mum was taken to ICU for 48 hours after the surgery, then back to her room in the oncology wing.

"After the surgery mum's personality changed a bit"

which happens quite often when brain surgery is performed. She became even more of a perfectionist, was obsessive-compulsive, and was moody. At one stage she didn't want my brother or I to visit her as she thought that she was contagious, no matter what the doctors or dad told her. Eventually she let us in, and that's when I first saw her after the surgery.

It was horrible – tubes coming out from every which way, and mum had a huge scar on the side of her head (which she still had at the end) in the shape of a question mark. She was struggling with having to stay in bed all the time, as she had always been healthy, always been active, and always helping others. Now she couldn't do much for herself, and it was a really horrible thing for her. After a few weeks mum was finally allowed home, but ignored what the doctors said about resting and instead went crazy with cleaning, doing taxes, and trying to help others. It was impossible to stop her, especially with her new personality traits.

As February approached, mum began chemotherapy and radiotherapy which at first went very well. Mum didn't have much hair to fall out after the surgery, because the nurses had had to shave it off. Much prayer and support was coming in through family, friends, our families' different churches, as well as my school who were giving us many millions of meals each week.

"But by the end of March, problems with mum's blood arose."

Because of the chemo the platelets in her blood were quickly declining from the average 250 – 400 platelets per whatever measurement of blood, down to 58. The platelets in blood are very important as they make the blood thicken, which means that if you get a cut your blood will clot up and not just keep flowing out. Over the next week and a half, it was getting worse and worse until she was down to 2 platelets. This meant that even if mum just bumped herself she could have bled to death. Mum knew this, but she still kept buzzing around the house, doing jobs she shouldn't have done because of her treatment, and now this predicament.

The doctors were afraid for mum's safety so it was decided that her chemo and radiotherapy should be stopped for a little while, then resume later on if necessary. Slowly mum's platelets grew in numbers and were getting back up to about 50 platelets. Mum was fine for a few months. She would hang around home, and her computer office was transformed into a special room for her to stay in during the day, instead of having to be in the bedroom all the time.

"Mum had many visitors, and we were still receiving much support."

On Sunday July 28th 2007 mum went back to hospital for tests, as she was all muddled up again, falling over, and throwing up. On the Monday the doctors discovered there was major swelling in her brain from the radiation treatment all those months ago. On Thursday we were told the cancer was back, and on Friday it was discovered that mum wasn't going to live as the cancer was now twice the size it had been originally, and surgery and other treatments were not possible. We were told that she only had a few months left. Things were getting more and more scary, because in the past I had always thought of cancer as something that could be fought against, since my dad had beaten it 3 times. But with mum it was different – there was nothing that could be done except sit and pray that she wouldn't die.

"I couldn't handle hanging around mum very well"

It was so frustrating to try and talk to her, as she couldn't say what she wanted to say, and I just didn't have the patience to let her figure it out. Mum spent some time in the hospital, and then when there was a space, she moved into a hospice. Dad and I didn't want to put mum in there, but we were not capable enough to look after her in the ways she needed it, because dad had work, I had school and my brother had his own things to do. But it was such a great place for mum to be in as it turned out. It is so beautiful there – she could look out onto the lake, the gardens, watch free pay TV, and just relax somewhere peaceful.

The staff were really amazing – so friendly and helpful, and as it turned out we knew a few of the nurses from other parts of our lives! Most days dad would either pick me up or I would bus it out to see mum after school (or instead of school). Mum and I would spend time watching movies together (especially chick flicks), I would try and pamper her a bit, and between us we were even able to dye what was left of her hair red, like she had always wanted to do. Mum was rapidly deteriorating though.

"I didn't really realise how fast it was till one day"

Mum couldn't write, speak actual words, get out of bed and was pretty much just helpless. That day was so heartbreaking. Over the next two weeks mum slipped away, sleeping more and more until one day she was unconscious. From then on she stayed that way, but her eyes were always open, staring out at nothing. That was definitely the worst part of the whole experience – when she was there in body, but not in mind and spirit. She didn't eat or drink anything for her last 10 days.

One Friday I spent my first moment away from mum for the previous few weeks so that I could watch my friend act in the stage version of High School Musical. As the show was starting I got a call from dad saying that I should come straight away as Mum's breathing would stop for long periods of time, and then suddenly start again. So my friends mum drove me to Mum, and luckily Mum had improved a little. Over the next 2 days Mum's family and my Dad and I practically didn't leave Mum's room, as things were so close. Dad and I were living in her room for her last 4 days, dad on a fold out couch, and me in a recliner chair. Finally, on Monday October 15th 2007, my mum died between 4 – 4:30am. 

"Dad and I were with her, sleeping in the room"

Later that week Mum's service was held in her and Dad's church. Mum had been cremated earlier in the week, which was fine as we didn't want a viewing. It was a beautiful service, and there was so many people there, that many people were unable to fit inside the church itself.

Grief has been kicking in recently for both my Dad and I. Things are so different without Mum – she was always there, being the backbone of our family. I had always depended on her for everything. My Mum was an amazing woman. Mum's friends and our friends have been so amazingly supportive and wonderful. And we know that mum is always looking down at us, loving us as she always has.