Norene

Norene's Funeral

2009-04-15T23:03:00.002-06:00

First of all, we want to thank all those who have supported us through the last few weeks and with the funeral. It was great to see so many people come to the viewing and funeral. It was a great tribute to my mom, but also a great comfort to us as a family. Thank you for all the many kind words that have been sent as well. I know some weren't able to make it to the funeral and I (Kara)wrote about it to John in pretty good detail, so I thought I would post that portion of my letter:

We had a display set up in the primary room. There were two bulletin boards in the back - one displaying the quilt from the Relief Society and the other displaying all the many cards we received. The we had a bunch of different tables. There was a long table in the middle that had large pictures of her as a baby, 8 year old, high school, college and wedding pictures. Surrounding those were small tables displaying her hobbies. One was a "librarian" table, one was a "music" table, one was "doll/sewing" table (that had Jenny's wedding doll, my baptism doll and your doll), one was a "travel" table (with some bells and pictures of us on vacation), and then there was a "family" table which had our scrapbook that we gave mom along with a couple of family pictures. Also in the primary room were the two videos that Brian made and some chairs where people could sit down and watch while they waited. In the Relief Society room we had all of our nice family pictures from the living room and family room. We also had a picture of you and a big picture of mom. There was tons of beautiful flowers. Dad's was a heart with read roses. The one from the children were yellow roses and daises. I asked Chantel to make a little pillow for mom (which you'll see in the pictures) and it was so cute. It really softened up the harshness of the casket - I thought. I only asked her the day before and she stayed up all night doing it. We all wore yellow - we really weren't planning on it that way, but it just came together and I'm so glad, it was so nice and cheerful. Mom had bought yellow dresses for the granddaughters in Febuary, which they wore. Then I had a yellow shirt, Jenny a yellow skirt and Wendy a yellow cardigan. All the boys had yellow ties. It was so nice. The viewing was supposed to be from 6-8, but it started about 5:45 and didn't get over until after 9:00 - there was a long line the entire time. The funeral was perfect - a little long, I guess - but still so nice. Jenny and I did a life sketch. Nathan's talk was very nice - he incorporated your words as well. All the aunts, uncles, cousins, and great grandchildren sang a medley of primary songs: I Love to See the Temple, Families are Forever, Teach Me to Walk and I Wonder When He Comes Again. Then all the children (and spouses) sang my arrangement of Where Can I Turn for Peace. That turned out beautiful as well. We were determined to get through it without crying. We said a prayer before hand and it was just right. Then Pres. Tippets spoke, Elder Pinegar and the Bishop had a few remarks as well. Afterward there was a lunch which was so nice. There were about 200 people there (for the lunch). For the funeral - it went back and filled half of the gym. Then we kind of had to hurry the cemetery to be out there by 4:00. When we got there we realized there was a huge mistake. I guess there was another burial near mom's earlier that morning and they buried that person in mom's grave. Kind of weird. Dad went ahead and dedicated the grave and then insisted that the cemetery fix the mistake that night. Aunt Carolyn had reserved a church to visit in afterward (especially for all the people that came from Arizona). We went and hung out there, but then Dad and Nathan went back to the cemetery before they buried the casket to see for themselves that it was in the right spot. Dad was good about it, but he was little stressed at first. Naturally. All in all it was a good day. It was wonderful to have the love and support from so many people.

2009-04-04T17:50:00.000-06:00

Norene's Obituary

2009-04-04T17:48:00.002-06:00

Norene Sagers Southwick
7/27/1954 - 4/3/2009
Norene passed away peacefully at age 54 surrounded by her family after being diagnosed with lung cancer five weeks earlier. She was born in Tooele, Utah to Willard and Geraldine Sagers, and was married to Wayne Southwick August 23, 1974 in the Salt Lake Temple. Norene was dedicated to her family. She taught her children and others to live the gospel, love music and learning, and enjoy life. She exemplified charity and compassion as she served at home, at school, and in the Relief Society and Primary.
Her legacy will continue through her loving husband, Wayne; children, Nathan (Wendy), Kara (Brian) Allen, Jenny (Bryce) Lake, John, Brian, and Kyle; six grandchildren; five siblings; and mother. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Melynn; father; and brother, Kenneth. Services: L.D.S. Chapel 1899 W. 7600 S. West Jordan, Utah. Viewing: 4/8 6:00-8:00 pm and 4/9 10:00-11:30 am. Funeral: 4/9 12:00 pm. Internment: Tooele Cemetery.

April 3, 2009

2009-04-03T19:34:00.003-06:00

Norene passed away peacefully at 6:45 this evening, surrounded by her family. She had a chance to say a few words to John earlier today. We will let you know funeral arrangements when they are made.

April 2, 2009

2009-04-02T22:15:00.002-06:00

I hate sitting down to write a blog like this, but I know a lot of people out there are wondering how Norene is doing. Unfortunately, right now she is not well. Ever since Friday, things have been going downhill fast. She is so weak and not feeling well. We had a little problem with the tube that is draining fluid from her lungs. It broke and we considered going into the hospital to get a new one. Dad, Nathan and the nurse were able to jimmy rig the one she had back together and it seems to be serving it's purpose again. We are grateful for all the prayers and would ask you would pray for Norene to feel well enough to enjoy the remaining time that she has.

March 31, 2009

2009-03-31T10:03:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was a little better for Norene. She was awake and alert most of the day, and was able to dictate more of the letters that she is trying to write to her children. We also had some visitors again yesterday, and Norene was awake for all of them. :) On the downside, our best efforts have not seemed to really stop the growth of this fast growing cancer. (Originally, she was diagnosed with more slow growing cancer, but the second report showed a very aggressive type of cancer). If you haven't had a chance to visit Norene, and would like to, give us a call and we will let you know if she is awake. If you do come by, we ask that you only stay for a few minutes. Thanks for all of your support.

March 30, 2009

2009-03-30T09:37:00.002-06:00

The last few days have been somewhat difficult. Ever since the incident on Friday, Mom has been extremely tired and weak. She is only alert for a few hours a day - most of the times she just sleeps. It does seem to be more restful sleep than she has been having, which is good. But she is in much more pain. When mom is asking for pain killers, we know she is in quite a bit of pain because she has a high tolerance for pain and she is not one to take pain pills. We have thought that perhaps it is the heart medicine or the pain medication (although it's not very strong) that may be making her so tired. She said she wouldn't mind having visitors on Sunday, but felt bad that she slept through every one of them. I am glad that all of her siblings were able to come and talk to her on Friday while she was still alert.

March 27, 2009

2009-03-30T09:27:00.004-06:00

Today was an interesting day for the family. Last night (Thursday) Mom began to be a little anxious. She had a restless night and slept most of the morning, but it was a disturbing sleep for her. She woke up about 3:00 pm in somewhat of a panic and wanted to see all of her family. Shortly after she woke, the nurse came and discovered her heart was racing. She immediately put mom on medication that would bring it back down. The nurse informed us that such a high heart rate would cause these feelings of anxiety and also dizziness (which explained why we found her on the floor this morning). By the evening, she was feeling much less anxious - although still very tired. All of her siblings were able to come in a visit with her and she was so happy to have seen them all. Thank you everyone for rushing in to see my mom!! It was a nice visit for everyone.

March 26, 2009

2009-03-26T17:45:00.003-06:00

John returned to his mission on Tuesday morning and while we all miss his wonderful smile, we are glad he has returned to where he is supposed to be. We are so glad that he was able to come home and visit for a few days. It was great that he was able to come and give my mom a couple of blessings and spend time with her. He was also the King Carrot Juice Maker and very helpful in other ways as well. Speaking of carrot juice, this, along with wheat grass juice, is a staple in my mom's diet right now. We are battling hard at this cancer from a few different angles. Mom has always been a strong woman and she continues to show her strength by staying on a strict diet. She is determined to gain strength and pushes herself to stand on her own and walk around the room. Her oxygen also is improving and the nurse has decreased the amount of oxygen that she needs during the day (this is good). Before the snow hit us, she actually spent a few hours outside in the sunshine. Even though we have a lot of good news - she still has cancer and she is usually in pain and occasionally sick. She has been sleeping pretty well, but lately has been really groggy, even during the day. She is on blood thinner to reduce the risk of blood clots, but these shots seem to be causing excess bleeding. And speaking of shots, since she has to have those in her stomach twice a day - it is hard to find an unbruised spot to give her her next shot. On a happier note, Mom and the whole family are so appreciative of all the many, many people of have sent meals, cards, flowers, emails and their love through various ways. The meals have been delicious and very helpful. The flowers have been beautiful and uplifting. Mom has enjoyed reading all the messages. Thank you especially for all the many prayers - never under estimate the power of prayer. I personally think it is a miracle that my mom has improved after coming home from the hospital with "2 weeks to 2 months" to live.

Gift from the Relief Society!

2009-03-20T19:25:00.001-06:00

March 19, 2009

2009-03-19T22:42:00.003-06:00

We just wanted to share a couple of miracles that we have had the past couple of days. Mom's oxygen continues improve and there are periods of time when she takes off her mask. Her strength also seems to be improving slightly. The last few nights she has been able to sleep about 5-6 hours, which is about 5 times as much has she has been sleeping. Dad has made made mom's comfort his number one priority and bought her a new lazy boy chair along with a big screen TV. Cute, funny dad. We are so grateful for these small miracles that have brought us much hope.

March 16, 2009

2009-03-19T22:35:00.000-06:00

Dear Family and Friends,
I guess it's time for another update. Mom came home last Wednesday. We were worried about keeping her oxygen level high with the equipment that we had, but it seems that things are stable. A nurse comes in every day to check her everyday and her oxygen level has been above 90. Jenny came down on Wednesday and put her student teaching on hold. She has been taking care of my mom 24 hours a day ever since. She will need to finish up her student teaching, but the university seems to be working well with her. Another piece of exciting news is that John was able to come home. My dad believes that the Lord sent him home. He is here until Tuesday (the 24th) and after that he will return and finish up the remaining four months of his mission. The timing for him actually works out really well because he just had surgery on his arm and was holding back his companion anyway. His presence has been wonderful and uplifting. Yesterday, we met as a family and he was able to give my mom a blessing. Nathan gave my dad a much needed blessing as well. It was a beautiful day and my mom had more energy and looked better than she has since she came home from the hospital. She is still not sleeping at night and has very little appetite. There are a few other concerns that we have, but we are just taking it a day at a time. We still have much hope and are praying for a miracle. We actually had a small miracle this morning - she was able to walk around the bed this morning. Many of you have asked what you can do. Your prayers are very much needed and appreciated. My mom is in need of constant care, but we as family and taking care of her needs for now. We will let you know if there is ever a need for others to come in and be with her. We still need to limit visitors as it wears it her out to talk to people. Her energy needs to be saved for recovery purposes and and so she is able to talk her boys when they get home from school. Thanks for all your love.

March 10, 2009

2009-03-19T22:34:00.002-06:00

Dear Family and Friends,

We were finally able to talk to all of the doctors today. Unfortunately, the news was not good. After she was admitted into the hospital, they found blood clots in her lungs, near her heart and in her legs. She is also not able to breath on her own at all. We were hoping that they would be able to surgical remove some of the tissue and blood clots in her lungs so that she would be able to breath better. However, because of her unstable condition, the doctors did not think that she would be able to survive through such an ordeal. Chemotherapy is also not an option, the cancer is too far advanced and has reached too many places in her body. She will be coming home tomorrow and under the care of home health hospice. The oncologist that spoke to us was very good to my parents. He said that even though there was nothing more the medical world could do for her, she could go home and put this in the hands of the Lord. That is what we plan to do. We haven't given up hope; there are alternative methods that we are going to try. We are still praying for a miracle. My dad wants you all especially pray for strength, peace and wisdom. Please continue your faith and courage. Thank you for all the love, service and prayers that have been rendered on our behalf. I know that many of you will want to visit my mom at home, we will let you know when she has the strength to have visitors. I'll continue to send emails to keep you updated. Thank you again for all you have done.

March 7, 2009

2009-03-19T22:34:00.001-06:00

Dear Family and Friends,
My mom would like everyone to know how much she has appreciated the prayers of so many in her behalf. We are all grateful for all the love and support that we have felt these past few weeks. The good news is that our first prayer has been answered. Thursday and Friday night, she was able to sleep - something she hasn't been able to do very well for the past 6 weeks. Unfortunately, I do not think she will get much sleep tonight because she is back in the hospital with all kinds of wires surrounding her. She has been home all week, but her breathing has been more and more difficult. This morning it was so bad that my dad took her to the emergency room. Her oxygen level was down to 60 and she was listed in critical condition. She is now in the intensive care unit at the Intermountain Medical Center. For most of the day she was on a forced air respirator. She is still on 100 oxygen, but she is able to talk through this ventilator that she is on now. Even with the oxygen, it is still difficult for her to breath and talking for more than a few minutes causes her oxygen level to drop below where it should be. The doctors attempted to drain some of the fluid that has built up so that my mom could breathe easier; however, it was unsuccessful and they have had to put in another tube through her back. The fluid is not draining very fast and so she has not had much relief so far. In other news, she had her PET-CT scan on Friday and we are awaiting to see what the results of the scan are. First, we need to deal with her not being able to breathe - surgery may be a possiblility. Hopefully we will know what course of action to take within the next few days. Sorry if this seems a little scattered, it's pretty late and I don't really understand it all myself.
Thanks again for your prayers and support.

March 4, 2009

2009-03-19T22:33:00.001-06:00

Dear Family and Friends,
First of all I want to thank you for all the support that we have felt for everyone. Sunday was a special day as we know that many were united in fast and prayer for my mom. There is nothing new to report as far as what we know about the cancer. We appreciate everyone for respecting her wishes not to call or visit. This is not because she doesn't want to hear from you! She is extremely weak and occasionally nauseous. She also isn't sleeping well. Even though she is on oxygen, even getting up to go the bathroom makes her winded. She also has to limit the amount of talking that she does because that also makes her winded and wears her out - this is why she can't have a lot of phone calls. Even though she can't take phone calls, she still needs to know of your love and support. Some of you have written her, but if you haven't - please take the time to write her a note or email her. We are printing up everything she receives and putting it in a notebook for her to have and look over. She appreciates notes so much already and it has been amazing to me how uplifting and comforting even little messages are to all of us. The notes will be a strength to her and our family for the next several months. Please pray that she will be able to get the rest she needs to gain strength so she can be on the road to recovery.

February 28, 2009

2009-03-19T22:32:00.000-06:00

To our dear family and friends,

The doctor received the pathology test results from the fluid that was drained earlier this week. The diagnosis is not good. She is suffering from the advanced stages of adenocarcinoma in her right lung and it has also touched some of the surrounding organs, including her heart. The doctor said it is a slower growing type of cancer and that the scar tissue indicates that it has been present for months, maybe even a year or more. Here is one link among over 3 million on adenocarcinoma: http://www.hopkinsm edicine.org/ health_informati on_library/ index.html? ArticleID= 84229. The doctor has recommended a P.E.T. – CT scan that should provide more details about how serious this case is. We will keep you posted on:

We send you this information now because we would like you to join us in fasting and prayer this fast Sunday. Our faith is in Jesus Christ and his promise to guide us, not only in troubled times but always. Pray that Norene and I will be blessed with inspiration and guidance to know his will and the courage and stamina to follow it. As we, and all of us, do that, then I know that peace will come to our hearts regardless of where that path may lead.

Thank you for your love and prayers. Norene should be coming home Sunday, then we have some time to determine God’s will concerning more tests and treatment.

We love you!
Wayne, Norene and family