~~IN MEMORY OF JUDITH ANN DOYLE~~~
---12 December 1944---30 June 2003---
I loved my mother---absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest woman I have ever known (and probably will ever know).
She personified the concept of 'Grace Under Pressure'. For 22 years, from the time I was seven, until her passing on 30 June 2003, she fought the ravages of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MS is usually a disease people can manage, leading relatively normal lives with some adjustments (such as getting about on a motorized scooter). Unfortunately Mom had a very severe progressive form of MS that left her with unimaginable physical indignities. Ultimately she spent the last few years of her much-too-short life confined to bed, completely dependent on medical assistance.
Yet the amazing thing thing was her spiritual resilience and her incredible mental toughness. Even long after she lost her ability to talk, she still laughed more than anyone else in the family. 'How can she laugh when she's like that?' I frequently wondered.
Mom was an AMAZING woman. Since her passing she has been a real source of inspiration. She was a beautiful person, and a fantastic mother who kept the home ship running while Dad was overseas in the western Pacific, as a Commander in the United States Navy. How she managed three children with such skill and such loving compassion is beyond me! And she did it all so well . . .
I could go on and on. Adjustment has not been easy for me. Now that I'm a parent I frequently wonder 'What would Mom do?' in a challenging situation. I take it from there, strengthened and reassured by her example ^__^
In this picture, the crying but proud full-sized gold Doyle dragon is me. I hope the overall message is more important than the obvious technical glitches (I'm still learning). I brought this picture to her gravesite, and I know she is happy for me having drawn it.
<a href='http://elftown.lysator.liu.se/img/photo/paul%252520doyle1061165259.jpg'>
atrick and Nana, May 2000</a>
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