Goodbye to a great boss

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, the COO of our company was battling breast cancer. Was. Today, she lost the battle. I will miss her, I really liked and respected her.

Cancer sucks – everyone knows that. You know what really sucks? The fact that we sit around arguing about evolution versus creation instead of working on cures that don’t do more harm than good. When she offered me the FT position, we had a few minutes to talk and she told me that the cancer itself wasn’t that bad – but the oral chemo she’d been given early on did so much damage to her stomach and GI tract that she was taking the pain meds for that, not the cancer. Ugh.

She’s been fighting this shit for 3 years. She only let the call center know last year, and only stopped working a month ago. She was truly dedicated. She was a professional, something I appreciate in a supervisor. I think we were so similar that we just clicked. I felt it when she interviewed me, I felt it every time we talked. Neither of us have time for all the niceties of “hi, how are you, how are the kids” small talk at work. Friends are for outside of work, work is for work. I am sad that I didn’t know her better, I think we would have had a lot of stimulating conversations. You know, she was proof that a person can be a real Christian – someone who exemplifies the teachings of Christ, as opposed to one who only worships him. She told me that she was ready to go, her only regret was leaving her husband – her sister and mother had each other to comfort – he had only her.

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got. Just wanted to officially say goodbye. So, goodbye to a great boss.

The circle of life…

I’m glad she was at ease with it.

Regards.

Litoris, I’m so sorry.

I do believe breast cancer treatment has come a long way in the past few years…there are drugs to combat the side effects of the chemo, and lumpectomies + radiation can just as effective as mastectomies at treating the disease. But, I do agree…we still have a ways to go.

I visit this site every day. You can even set up an e-mail daily reminder.

Thank you both for your kind words. Today is our (already scheduled) July 4th/employee recognition luncheon. We all know that MB would never want us to be morose, so there will be much celebration, it’s still a little sad. I will choose to be glad I had a chance to know her.

ivylass, I keep you in my thoughts daily, and hope all works out well for you. All treatments for cancer have come a long way, and I am always glad to see someone beat it (one girl here was given a 20% chance of making through 6 months with cancer in her lymphatic system – that was like 12 years ago).