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Jeanne Amanda Hansen DiScala
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December 26, 1927 - October 14, 2000ഀ
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I lost the most important person to me on October 14. As you all know, I was extremely close to my mother. I would come home every other weekend to visit her. As a tribute to my Mom, I am sending out my eulogy which I gave yesterday at her funeral. Please, pray for my Mom and my Family. If you would like to make a contribution to The American Cancer Society in her honor, please Click Hereഀ
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GOING PLACES WITH MY MOM:
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My Name is John Einar DiScala, and I came very close to being the Ultimate Italian: John Anthony DiScala, but thank God, I was delivered 2 weeks early on my Grand Father Hansen’s Birthday. I never got to meet him, but I always heard stories from my Mom about him. How he came over from Denmark, and was a very strong, stoic man, who loved fish. She always dreamed of going to see the country and where he was born, but she never wanted to leave us as kids, so she chose not to go. ഀ
The one positive thing to come out of her cancer was that, I was able to give that dream to her. The Cancer made her realize life isn’t forever, and that she needed to start enjoying it. When she recovered from her first 9 hour operation I said "Mom when you get better were going to Denmark". She said "No, I can't I'm in Chemo". I pressured her, and pressured her, and finally she asked the Dr. to give her a week off, she did, and she began to pack (a month early). I cashed in some miles and treated us to our dream trip. First Class Tickets to places we only imagined about going. London (to shop and see theatre), Paris (to see where she would’ve studied if she took that scholarship from Parsons), and the most important place: The island of Fyn in Denmark. When we were landing in Copenhagen, I looked over at my Mom staring out the window, she had tears rolling down her face. ഀ
We met up with my brother and sister, toured the house my Grandfather grew up in (we even got to take home a piece of the brick), met long lost relatives, and had such a great time exploring. She was so cute and appreciative. When we returned home, her cancer came back, spreading to her liver, esophagus, and gall bladder. She went through another grueling 9 hour operation. Every time she would go into that operating room at Sloan Kettering she looked like a soldier ready for the front line. When she came out, I said Mom, you need to get well soon, because I just got 2 more tickets to Europe. She had a sparkle in her eye, and the following summer, my Mom and I returned to Europe (this time alone, and I didn't have to twist her arm). She even made her first plane rides alone, ever! She flew from LGA-to D.C. to meet me. ഀ
My Mom had this special presence about her, maybe it was she just loved to talk. We waited for our flight in the stuffy, but nice first class lounge. Everyone in there was all serious, and uptight. I put my bags down, and showed my Mom all the gourmet food, and went to the bathroom, when I came back, all of the workers were surrounding her, listening to her stories about how she is beating Cancer, and how lucky she was to be flying first class. When I walked over they told me how great my Mom was, and how lucky she was to have a son like me. I said your right, she is great, but she’s not the lucky one, I am. It was amazing in just a few minutes, she had all these ladies laughing, and bringing her gifts. We had a great trip, visiting Frankfurt, Strasbourg, Paris, Denmark, and Sweden. With cancer, she managed to do this itinerary all in 2 weeks. She loved it. When we came home we found out the cancer came back again, this time it spread to her lungs, but she didn't lose faith. She told her Dr. what ever it takes, I want to see my 3 year old Grand daughter’s wedding. ഀ
She did chemo every week for 10 months. In the hospital this past week she was in tremendous pain. A few nights ago, I asked my Mom if she wanted me to spend the night, as I always did, but this time she said, it might be a good idea, it could be a rough night. I brought the cot in and while we were lying on our beds, we could hear all those terrible sounds that take place in a hospital. Across the hall the lady was screaming and moaning in pain, her other neighbor was being cleaned by the nurses because she just passed away. I said Mom we need to get you out of this horrible place. Where do you want to go? She said let's go back to Europe tonight. I said, great, Let’s go! She turned out the light and I said close your eyes. I said I can feel it, can you? She said oh yeah. I said where are we? She said were in Strasbourg, going up the canal in the tour boat. I said yes we are! She said look at the picture perfect blue sky, with all those puffy white clouds, I said doesn’t the sun feel so warm, she said yes it does and those flowers are so beautiful, and what a magnificent Church there on the right. I said this is such a beautiful place. Where do you want to go after Strasbourg, she said let's take the train back to Paris, and I said "great I can't wait, and that night we both went to sleep, not in the hospital, but in a much better place. ഀ
I’m not worried about my Mom, I know her world is so much better, what I’m worried about is us, because our world just got a lot worse.ഀ
The first thing we did when we got home after my Mom died is throw away all of her medication and pain pills, because where she is, she doesn’t need it. As Martin Luther King once said "Free at Last, Free at Last, Thank God Almighty [She’s] Free At Last". My Mom is in Heaven now dancing with God, the Saints, her Parents, her brother Jens, Sister Martha, Niece Ann, Nephew David, and many others, and one day with me, and Mom I am so looking forward to our Dance. I love You! I will always love you.ഀ
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