Your Stories

I am only 32 pages into the book and woke my husband up laughing last night in bed. I too cannot articulate when yelling at my two daughters. That, or I accidentally use words they would have to look up. So I am usually looking at faces that are fearful, but afraid to laugh and then confused all at once.
Four years ago the three of us took care of my mom until she died in our home. She was a shopper as well and I had to get a Hospice wheel chair into Coldwater Creek (after gathering all of the 'lavender tops' they had in stock ahead of time) for her to peruse. It was her last attempt.
I agree that she would have wanted you shopping. Mine was happy (I imagine) that when I picked up her ashes they were packaged in an evergreen/gold embossed shopping bag resembling those we used to tote home from Marshall Field's.

We miss her and I cannot wait to get back to the book.

Thank you for the relief in recognition I am experiencing. The girls are 19 and 21 and I actually felt like maybe they DO love me-thanks to your account. I was too immersed in the rebellion to be objective.
You are very talented and she loved you beyond words- I am certain.

Dear Ms. Rosman,
My dearest and closest friend, Susan died this March almost a year to the day that I lost my dad. It still hurts.
Susan and I met in high school, went to NYU together; worked in Bloomingdales together to help defray the cost of our education. We got engaged and married at the same time. Our children were born at the the same time and so we bought homes next door to another. We were one family.
This March Susan and her husband, Alan were staying withmy husband, Jerry and me at our Florida home. We all laughed and played and had the most wonderful time. They left after a couple of weeks to go back home and I waited for the phone call to say they arrived home safely; instead the dreaded phone call came to say that Susan had had a brain hemorrhage and diedl
We had always promised each other that our last days would be spent on the porch of a retirement home, in a rocking chair, brushing each other's cheeks with blush and stuffing our faces with chocolate.
At least I have the memories.
Thanks for your thoughts of your Suzy.
Roberta
June 11, 2010

Katie,
Having just lost my mother from lung cancer in January 2010, I was a bit hesitant to pick up and read your book. Once I started, I could not put it down. You wrote of experiences that many of us have shared but thought we were alone. I commend your tenacity to tell your mother's story and sharing it with strangers. As yours, my mother never smoked either. I can only pray that within our lifetime we find a cause and cure for this horrible disease. Thanks for sharing.

Dear Ms. Rosman,
Thank you so much for writing your book. I lost my mom to her 10 year battle with breast cancer about a year and a half ago. Like you I have a sister (A twin sister! We were 28 when she passed.) I am so happy that your mom knew you were pregnant before her passing. I think the worse part for me came when I made the realization that my mom would never be there to see me get married or have kids. Luckily she got to meet my sisters husband and started the wedding planning process with her. I love the fact that you and your sister went shopping shortly after her passing. We always told my mom (who loved clothes!) that we would be wearing something new to her funeral because it always makes you feel better when you have on new clothes!! We decided she would feel better too if she had a new outfit for her funeral. About three days before her death (it had spread to all of her bones and had to have both hips replaced with a month of each other then spread to her skull. Similar to you mom.) My sister and I went out and bought three new St. John suits and held them up to her to see which one she liked best. The other two are still sitting in the closet. Thank you so much for sharing you story! One of my girlfriends started a non-profit cancer organization www.amessageofhopecf.org we provide financial assistance to those who don't have insurance or family/friends who tend to everthing like we had. We were fortunate to get great care. The kids are so cute!
Best,
Monica L. Hepburn

Hi Katie, I just finished reading your book. You were so spot-on and honest with your mom's story. Unfortunately, I am living a similar existence. My mother, Diane Rupp, passed away on March 28, 2006. She left behind a grieving husband, two daughters, a son, and my three children, who were ages 8, 4, and 18 months at the time. She was in a minor car accident in January of 2006 and was taken to the ER, where they did a CAT scan, suspecting a concussion. What they found instead was tumors from what we would find out later was metastatic melanoma. They were throughout her whole body. We lost her 9 weeks later. So you see, there were many parts of your story that hit home with me. My mom grew up as a farm kid in central Illinois. She graduated as valedictiorian of her nurses' training class. She was the most unselfish, caring person I have ever met. She had red hair, a quick smile, and a nurturing demeanor. She loved to be outdoors. She recycled when recycling wasn't cool. She bottle fed baby kittens whose mothers abandoned them. She picked up toads that hopped near the house, and carried them back to the pond in her backyard. She was the best grandmother any children have ever had. My heart broke when I read of how you told your mom of your pregnancy, only to watch her realize that she would never get to meet her beloved grandchild. To this day, it breaks my heart that Mom is not here to see hers anymore. That is the worst part for me. I pray that our moms watch over us and are able to see the beautiful families we have. I hope we have made them proud. You have inspired me to dig deeper into my mom's life. Just like Suzy, she was an amazing woman with a thoughtful, caring spirit. That spirit lives on in the stories we tell to their grandchildren and others. Thanks and best wishes, Wendy

Hi - i am also the daughter of a Susan, who we called Suzi, who died suddenly of a cerebral brain hemorrhage on March 16, 2010 while spending the night in the hospital with her very dearest friend, RIta at the bedside of RIta's husband who was sick with cancer. At 5 in the morning my mother had a horrible headache and was rushed down to the emergency room from ICU where they were sitting in Lenox Hill Hospital. My Suzi who had never really been sick a day in her life, had emergency brain surgery and never woke up. Her best friend's husband and my father's dearest friend who we called Rastus died later that day. Our families are still shocked and devastated by these losses. Our Suzi was a vibrant and young 73 year old woman who led a very active life and loved her family - my father, my sister, my two daughters and her sons in law more than anything. People screamed in disbelief when we made the calls to tell them the horrific news. She was loved by sooo many people and made a huge impact on the lives she touched.

I just happened to see an ad for your book on the internet and watched your video and read your blog about your grandma. i am definitely interested in reading your book! I also would like to leave a video saying I am the daughter of a Suzi.. but not sure if that is what u are looking for!

Katherine,
I just picked up Bazaar and read your story. I lost my mom two months ago from a lung metastasis that started as breast cancer. Mom. the lifelong ballet teacher and pilates fanatic sounds so much like your mom. No vices, looked fabulous and worked hard at it. Because she was treated at MD Anderson in Houston she left her home in Louisiana and stayed with me for over a year. Through that time I was bowled over at the diversity of her friends and how people percieved her. Everyone that knew her had a slightly different take on her, but she could relate and befriend anyone and it was sincere. Even though my mom was more of a Jones New York/Ann Taylor girl to your Mom's Jil Sander she had that inate sense of style and never bent to the whims of fashion. She knew what she liked and knew what looked great on her.
I owe so much of who I am to her, I always knew it but reading your story really brought it home. Thanks and I look forward to the book.

Marietta Davis