Myron Clifton
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thread 1/9
Thinking about my mom, Floy Dean today on her birthday. She would be 78, twice as old as she lived. She died of colon cancer at age 39. At diagnostic she was told she had a year but she lived 18 months.

Those last 6 months were filled with almost daily hospital trips, and pain.
12:34 PM - Oct 03, 2023
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Myron Clifton
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thread 2/9
I remember the good times, her laugh, smell, her hair, her hugs. But I remember the hell that was late stage colon cancer. I remember the nights the most because her pain exceeded the power of morphine to keep it down.

She cried out in pain wanting more relief.
12:34 PM - Oct 03, 2023
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Myron Clifton
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thread 3/9
By then it was only us at home so I cared for her overnight and all day. The morphine had long stopped working. It was a cruel existence and something she didn't deserve. I counted the seconds until I could give her the next dose.

The relief took moments and lasted moments.
12:35 PM - Oct 03, 2023
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Myron Clifton
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thread 4/9
I'd lay back down, unable to sleep, and waited for the time to pass, her cries to fade, and my alarm to ignite in a few hours. Neither of us slept well, but hers was pain, mine was sorry and helplessness.

I cursed a cruel and indifferent god who was uninterested in her health.
12:35 PM - Oct 03, 2023
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Myron Clifton
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thread 5/9
It is odd because our mothers are our gods. Givers and sustainers of our lives when without them we simply can't be born and can't survive birth. But we are taught to turn from a tangible beautiful loving god to a untouchable idea of a god who ignores our pain in times of need.
12:35 PM - Oct 03, 2023
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Myron Clifton
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thread 6/9
I've never forgiven that god for taking her so young. Her life was hard. Pregnant at 15 and by 18 she had me, her 3rd boy. She said she cried when I was born she so wanted a girl. She got a girl 7 years later. Kicked out of home, violently abused by my father, and religious leaders.
12:36 PM - Oct 03, 2023
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Myron Clifton
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thread 7/9
She survived them all, not because their god rescued her, but because she grew up, understood her worth, and walked away from them all and built the life she wanted and deserved. No one but her sister and two girlfriends helped her.

Women helping women, she'd say way back then.
12:36 PM - Oct 03, 2023
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Myron Clifton
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thread 8/9
She thrived with new work, new travel, new boy/girlfriends, until one day she had a stomach ache.

The time of her post marriage, escaped abuse, made a life for herself was all of 10 years.

10 years.

A cruel outcome by a trickster god who needs to apologize for harming her.
12:37 PM - Oct 03, 2023
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Myron Clifton
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thread 9/9
I love and miss her every second. I long for her love, her smell, her soft hair when we hugged. I long for her sharp wit, sharper tongue, and proudly making her a cup of coffee just like she liked it.

I wish she were here so I could tell her happy birthday.

Happy birthday, mom.
12:38 PM - Oct 03, 2023
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Kathleen Rupnow
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In response to Myron Clifton.
My Dad died of colon cancer as well. He was 57 and I was 11. So sorry about your mom. I hope your memories are a comfort.
07:36 PM - Oct 04, 2023
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Myron Clifton
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In response to Kathleen Rupnow.
💕
11:15 AM - Oct 05, 2023
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Jeannie (she/her)
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In response to Myron Clifton.
This is a beautiful tribute to a beautiful woman. Thank you for sharing your mom with us. I'm so terribly sorry that you lost her at such a young age. ❤️
07:35 PM - Oct 04, 2023
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Claudia Citro
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In response to Myron Clifton.
Thank you @PresidentKamalasHand Your mother looks like a lovely woman, and I am so sorry you lost her so young. I bet she appreciated you. And I believe we’ve seen a bit of her sharp wit in you.
07:34 PM - Oct 04, 2023
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Michigander
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In response to Myron Clifton.
💔💔💔
07:32 PM - Oct 04, 2023
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Snow Girl ❄️
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In response to Myron Clifton.
Thank you for sharing your mom's story. I know it is painful to share.
02:12 PM - Oct 03, 2023
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Jerry Wechsler
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In response to Myron Clifton.
I add my late condolences for the absurdly early death of your mom. Mine died at age 54 of colo-rectal cancer (plus other cancers) and I took care of her after college, from 1970-1973. Our moms deserved better. We carry their internal moral compass and socio-economic awareness, their empathy. 💔
12:39 PM - Oct 03, 2023 (Edited)
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Myron Clifton
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In response to Jerry Wechsler.
💕
02:46 PM - Oct 03, 2023
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