It's Been Six Months...

It's been six months today, since Susie passed away from this Earth to a better more beautiful place called Heaven.

I hope everyone is doing great and enjoying this beautiful holiday season. I decorated Sue's tree we had planted to honor her memory, with a big pine cross with a beautiful red bow and a wreath. I wanted to decorate it like a Christmas tree, but our MN winter this year decided not to co-operate with my original idea, so no ornaments. just the cross and wreath. It is very pretty.

In so many ways it seems like I haven't seen my sister forever and I long to talk to her and see her so badly, yet it seems like yesterday that we had her memorial services...I think all in all we are all doing good, just very sad and lonely.

Sue LOVED CHristmas, I mean really LOVED Christmas, with all the childlike enthusiasm she could possibly muster. Every year we would try to out do each other in finding the best new Christmas cookie...last year I discovered a friends "melting moments" cookie which are AWESOME and gave Sue the recipe, she had to admit they were awesome!! Then she found candy cane cookies and sent me the recipe and they were "good" and we argued back and forth over that! I cried a little this year as I pulled that cookie recipe out in her handwriting, even complet with candy cane stickers she stuck on it...she was so amazing and special. I miss her so many times each and every day.

This blog is really painful to go to for me, at first it was like a comforting friend, that I started to support and communicate about sister, then I had plans of getting it put into book form and giving it to her when she went into remission so she could remember how strong and brave she was and to see how speical she was to so many people who read this daily and left comments and prayed for her....now it is a hollow reminder of the short battle she so valiantly fought against as I work not to remember just the "cancer" piece of her life, but all the much happier and special times we spent together growing up and then as adults. She was my biggest champion, and I hers...there was nothing we couldn't tell one another and I miss that terribly...

I just wanted to come on here tonight to say, I can't believe it has been 6 months, and I miss you Susie, and I am praying for you many times each day and I know one day, we will see each other again and when we do, I am still going to call you "the dipe"!! CHristmas is not the same at all without you, and I want you to know how many many people have contacted me and miss you too....I am so proud of the way you lived your life and cared for so many people and touched so many lives. I am really going to miss the mystery visitors you'd bring to our holiday celebrations. Each with no where to go, but you'd bring them to my house and we would all have such fun.

I love and miss you Susie with all my heart....forever.

May the spirit of Christmas live within each one of you and I wish you a beautiful, blessed Christmas and a healthy, happy and prosperous 2009.

XOXOXO Kaylee

Pictures From Captain Susan's Pirates @ the 3 day Walk in Dallas!

Greetings Everyone!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday filled with lots of great food, family & friends! Following are pictures shared with me by Deb Haas, who was one one Sue's great friends. She organized Captain Susan's Pirates team and they walked in the Susan G. Komen breast cancer 3 day walk in Dallas! Way to go Deb, Erin and David! Deb's team raised over $10,000. in Susan's name for breast cancer research. I am so thankful for you all and for keeping Sue's memory alive in such a positive way!! I also heard rumors that there was a "rock star" contest at the 3 day and Deb Haas was the winner with David coming in a close 2nd!! WAY TO GO! Thaks for all you have done!

I wish everyone a beautiful holiday season and a healthy, prosperous 2009! XOXO Kaylee



A Pic at the 3 day Rally!

Catain Deb "the rock star" Haas!!

Sue's picture hung in the remembrance tent, thanks so much for doing that Deb!

David and Erin, members of Captain Susan's Pirates~WAY TO GO!

From Husband to Wife

In the first two months of 2001 I closed my heart and committed to never opening it again for anyone short of my own family and but a scant few friends. I had no reason to. Then at a friend’s birthday party on March 24th of the same year I met Susan who made the same commitment to herself a long time ago. It didn’t take long – two days actually; one day really for me – for us to be totally enamored over the other and write off the silly commitment for a life of solitude.

I never imagined that seven months of the two of us flying from Minnesota to Texas and Texas to Minnesota would have such an impact on my life – our lives. We were nuts over the other. This whole flying to see the other, spend a long weekend together, fly back and wait an agonizing month till we were together again was just too much. We couldn’t be separated. We moved to Houston and allowed the adventure to unfold.

It was a grand experience. Being with her was like living a life that belonged to someone else. It was like looking into the window of a neighbor’s home and saying to myself: “I wish I had a life like that.” But I WAS living it. I felt so undeserving, yet I was selfish enough to grasp it tightly and say “mine!” and never let it go.

Susan and I, as an example of our particular antics, used to have a playful argument between us – who was the luckiest? She’d say she was. I’d say no, I was. What she didn’t understand was that I was seeing my life transform for the better because of her. She changed me. Anybody who knew me before I met her could testify that I was a different person. So who was the luckiest? That was me. And now I have the final word on that.

How lucky was I? She made everyday special. From great gestures of love to small and easily overlooked ones of preparing the coffee before going to bed; kissing me every morning before work and right before going to sleep without a miss; holding my hand for no reason at all other than she wanted to touch me; leaving little notes of “I love you” by my toothbrush or wedged between the pages of the book that I’m reading; or simply changing the channel without complaint when I walk into the room if she were watching The Wedding Singer knowing full well that I hate Adam Sandler. You couldn’t ask for a better wife.

If ever I needed the confirmation that all was right in the world, all I needed to do was stand by her and no matter how grim and foreboding things may seem, she made me feel that nothing was too large or too scary was going to hold me down. It could have been money issues, or an illness, an auto accident, or job concerns. It didn’t matter. Being with her soothed my worries and replaced them with a cool nonchalance that the two of us will handle the quandary like a pair of crafty desperados.

I could say I wanted to do this or do that, whatever the dream or lofty the ambition, she’d make me feel like it wasn’t impossible. She was my life coach, my Saint Jude. Her “can do” drive was most infectious and thankfully there was no cure for it.

Susan had this one phrase that she’d say often, mainly upon our return from our Friday Date Nights. Just as we’re parking the car, she’d look at our Townhouse and say “I love our little home.” Hearing that confirmed so much about our lives and the direction it was going. Her phrase wasn’t about the stuff inside our home or the appearance of it. It was the nature, the aura of our togetherness that she was speaking of. It was a weekly confirmation that the “I do’s” we exchanged was a perfect decision; that every choice from the moment we first met to the instant we unlock the door and go inside were right ones. I loved our little home, too. She’s the one that made it that way for us.

A friend said to my family in Spanish after observing Susan and my similarities – which were comic books, horror movies, Sci-Fi, Halloween themes, paranormal and the supernatural - that roughly translates to “God made them; God put them together.” That was so true. It was like joining two daunting pieces: a Jack and Sally; a Gomez and Morticia Addams. Once attached, we were like youngsters, school yard chums, mischievous and secretly snickering behind the tree.

We were like children – happy children – playing a game from morning till sunset; till one of us would be called home. And one was.

Susan: I miss you, Honey. I will miss you every day of my life no matter how many seasons turn, or the number of people I meet. Days, years, faces and personalities will come and go, but my memory of you and how precious you were to me will remain fixed in my heart. I was the luckiest. But most importantly, I was the most blessed. Of the forty-two years of my life, the seven with you were my happiest.

Till we’re together again in each other’s arms, I will make you proud you ever knew me, loved me, and chose to marry me. Forever and always I will love you.

Happy Fifth Anniversary, Gorgeous.

Ray

A moment in time at one of the many, many date nights we had.


Our Wedding Cakes 2003

In Honor of my sister Sue's Memory

Well, I got my courage up and in honor of my sister Susie, I *gulp* got a tattoo!! And in Las Vegas, no less! As many of you know this is Sue's favorite season, Halloween was her favorite holiday, but really Thanksgiving and Christmas were also!! Sue loved gatherings of family and friends and I wanted to do this to keep her memory close to me for all time. The tattoo is on my ankle and I am terrified of needles and pain, but I got my courage up and it really didn't hurt that much!! The idea was my daughter's and I am super happy to have done it!! I hope this finds all of you doing well and enjoying the fall weather. Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Ray tomorrow!!

XOXO Kaylee

Don't Forget to Leave Comments-

If you visit, don't be shy!! I may not know you personally but I'd like to hear what my sister Susan meant to you and what you are thinking!! Leave a comment, they are so much appreciated!!

Philadelphia Branch of Thomas Properties Walks in Sue's Honor for Breast Cancer

Today, I received an email from Eric Pickett, Sue's former manager and best friend. I LOVE getting emails from Eric as it isn't too often and they are always interesting, well today as I scrolled down to see the attachment...I couldn't believe it, I immediately started crying....tons of Sue's co-workers in a different branch in a different part of the country that my sister hadn't even been to, spent their Sunday walking for a cure in honor of my sister Susan Martinez. I am absolutely humbled and amazed at the amount of people who participated in her honor and amazed. I know Susan wouldn't BELIEVE IT! She would be so AMAZED and so thankful. I am so proud of the company she worked for and represented. Thanks to EVERYONE from the bottom of my heart and the rest of SUSAN'S families hearts!! Thank you for keeping her memory alive and not letting her death due to Inflammatory Breast Cancer be in vain. I am posting the pics here and if you have any more please email them to kayleewalstad@msn.com . YOU GUYS ROCK!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

I will also be updating this post as more info and pix come in, thanks Mary Manen, Sue's great friend in the TPG office in Houston for getting the pics and stories also!! Following are from two separate emails Mary M sent me this am...the following is from a woman in the Philadelphia TPG office-thanks for writing this!!

Here are a couple more pictures. I don’t have the final numbers yet, but we raised almost $5,000 in Susan’s name this year. We had about 15 people from the Philly office walk on our team, along with almost 30 other family and friends that participated with us. Susan has touched a lot of people.

This Mary Manen sent me from the LA office of Thomas Properties Group-THANK YOU!! We ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZED BY EVERYONE'S CARE AND KINDNESS! THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING MY SISTER"S MEMORY TO LIVE ON! Here is what the LA office said-

" We, in LA, plan on doing the Revlon walk in May in Susan’s Honor. We’re just getting ready to put out the first announcement. We’ll keep you informed on how it is going!"

Thomas Properties group is an amazing company and you should be proud to work for them, but a company is only as good as the people who fill it's chairs and perform their functions, YOU ALL at TPG are what make it AMAZING!! Thanks for making my families day/month/year with your kindness and generosity!!

A side note, between Captain Susan's Pirates, private donations made in Susan's name and the monies earned by the Philly office of TPG almost $20,000. has been donated to the Breast Cancer Research Fund for a Cure via Susan G Komen!!!!!! I just realized this and I am AGAIN, so humbled and thankful! Thank you so much for helping bring good things from Sue's battle with cancer. I pray every day they find a cure. GOd Bless each and every one of you with that which you need most. Also, just so you know, even though I may not have met YOU personally, YOU are in my prayers. Thank you for blessing my sister's memory.

XOXOXO Kaylee

Susie's Memorial Tree at Kaylee's

We decorated Susie's tree for Halloween, my dad, Ashlee & I. I am going ot keep it decorated through Thanksgiving and then decorate it for Christmas!! It actually made me feel good to buy Halloween things like I always did for Sue every year...her tree looked so bare when i took the windchimes down for winter so they wouldn't get wrecked! Here's some pix! Happy Halloween to everyone!

October was Susie's Fave time of the Year....

Greetings Everyone-

I feel like blogging a little this month and have asked Ray to as well. This is a really tough month, I mean they all really are without Sue and all the reminders of her joyful funloving personality...but she loves October, why you ask (most of you know)-she LOVED Halloween and the man she loved and married has his birthday this month as well on October 21st. Both tough days, so please keep Ray in your prayers! I have decorated the tree that was planted and dedicated in Sue's honor at my house with Halloween stuff and I have room to add a few things if anyone would like to send me something to put on the tree!! Let me know, just email me!

Thanks for all the emails and cards and stuff. I really appreciate everyone. Below I am putting my eulogy that I wrote and read at Sue's memorial service and our tree dedication. I will still put Eric's on here as well. I just need to get it from him!! Take care and I hope this finds everyone doing well. God Bless You all with whatever it is that will bring you joy! XOXO Kaylee



Susan’s Eulogy
By her sister Kaylee

Susan was our baby sister, the youngest of three girls and an angel sent here on earth. She had an instantaneous way of touching everyone’s lives she came in contact with by her genuine interest, care, concern and love for others.

Susan exemplified selflessness; she always put everyone else ahead of herself and never asked for anything. She felt she “had it all” with the love of her husband, family & friends, everything else was secondary to her.

While her “journey with Inflammatory breast cancer became a short trip, she inspired me and so many others with her unwavering faith, hope and daily courage. Each day, she told me she was going to find something to thank the Lord for and to be happy about, and she did. She was truly amazing and I will use her example to help me through this and the other unknown challenges I will face in my life.

Susie was best friend, confidante, and “go-to” person my whole life. She was a fantastic listener, always had a ready smile and laugh and most importantly, she believed in me. There is a gigantic hole in my heart which only her love and friendship can fill.
Susan loved her animals, they were her babies and as they came and went, she never forgot any of them, especially her beloved dog, Olli who faithfully stood by her side through the ups and downs of life.
Susan’s husband, Ray was truly the love of her life. She was filled with so much joy and happiness over their interests and love of cartoons, sci-fi & horror movies, bookstores, and discovering cool new restaurants. I am so thankful for Ray’s presence in Sue’s life and for the love they shared. Susan loved to experience life and she had a beautiful time on her journey with Ray.
Susan’s passing has taken the “sting of death” away from me, because I know she is soaring with the angels in Heaven and hers will be the first beautiful face I see when I join her there someday. I will miss her immensely and think of her and keep her memory alive in my heart and thoughts every single day I have left here on earth.
Thanks to all of you who vigilantly & faithfully lifted Susan up in prayer as she battled the terrible cancer that had invaded her body. Thank you to Ray, Susan’s husband, the Martinez family, my family and all her friends for helping Sue’s life journey here be so full of love and joy. Thank you to Susan’s company and co-workers for standing by her faithfully as she valiantly tried to get her body back to normal so she could return to the job & co-workers she so loved.
I cannot believe someone who meant so much to so many is forever gone from this earth, but her goodness, kindness, love, joy, courage & faithfulness will be remembered and is truly an example to all.Susan may be gone, but she will never be forgotten. I love you Susie, you are always and forever in my heart and mind!

Hope All of you Houstonians Are OK

Greetings! I hope all of you in TX are well and have survived Hurricane Ike alright! WOW, what an ordeal to watch from MN!! We can't even fathom what a hurricane would be like as we are so "land-locked" here!! My thoughts and prayers were with all of you! My mom and sister Kari and Ray came through it unscathed, however my mom and sister do NOT ever want to go through it again! They are still without power and ventured out today in search of coffee and a hot meal, and they found both! Since they have moved to Houston they have gone through ALOT!

We are nearing the 3 month mark since Susie passed away, and it is still like a nightmare which I am unable to awaken from. I miss her so badly sometimes it takes my breath away.... I have added some pics from a celebration of Sue's life on her birthday July 5th. Alot of my mom's family came, all of her sisters and our great family friends and Sue's friends who could not make it to Houston. Our Pastor dedicated a beautiful flowering crab tree my friends gave me to honor Sue's memory and then we all let go of 70 silver and purple balloons int o the air...it iwas amazing. Then everyone selected either a purple (Sue's favorite color or pink ribbon to tie on Susie's tree bench in memory of Sue. They are all still there and I will keep them there forever.


Ray read Eric Pickett's eulogy he gave at Sue's memorial service. Both Ray and Eric did a fantastic job!

Our Pastor prayed over the tree and dedicated in Sue's memory, it was beautiful...



Then, ready set go, we all let go of the purple and silver balloons in Sue's honor...it was breathtaking...and freeing.

Then everyone tied a ribbon of their choice onto Sue's tree bench to remain there...Ray and Mike's mom Patand cousins are busy tying there's on.

My mom and Kari with family and friends tie their's onto the bench...

Thanks to everyone who has donated to the Susan G Klomen Breast Cancer Research Fund in Susan's honor. I have sent everyone on the list a personal thank you, but if I missed you, let me know. Your kindness and generosity has touched my heart forever and I will never forget all of your kindnesses. I hope all of you are doing well as we head into fall. Take care and may God bless each and every one of you!

XOXO Kaylee

Hi!

It has been a little over 2 months since Susie passed away and I wanted to check in and let you know we are all doing o.k. We have all had a low week last week and are trying to pick it up this week.

I miss Sue so much, it seems like it gets harder sometimes as the time gets longer, I really have had intense longings to see and talk to Sue. I am glad we believe in God and that Sue is in Heaven, because without that hope this would be much much harder.

I hope all of you are doing well. I cannot believe so many of you are still coming here, yet i is a place to remember her and look at pics and read the stories. I think about you, Sue's friends alot and the many kindnesses you showed to her and our family, thanks again and I hope this finds you all doing well.

God Bless You All,

Kaylee

Breast Cancer Fund Raiser Tee-Shirts For Sale!!

Greetings Everyone!

Above is a picture of Kari in one of our custom "Captain Susan's Pirates" breast cancer 3 day tee's. We are taking orders for these to raise money for the "cure" in Susan's honor. If you are interested please email Kaylee or Kari at the following email addresses with your size and we will ship them to you!! Thanks so much for your help! They are available in Petite, Small, Medium, Large, X-Lg at $25 each and 2XL for $35. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

Kaylee kayleewalstad@msn.com

Kari kfrangos@hicks-thomas.com

Thanks so much for all of your phone calls, cards, emails and support. It has meant the world to all of us!

It's Been One Month...

Well. it's been a month since Susan departed our world for Heaven....and it feels like it was yesterday, still very fresh and still very painful. I decided to put a few pics of Sue on the blog because I thought some unseen pics might help us all remember Sue before she got breast cancer. I am so surprised at the amount of people still going ot the blog....it was really a daily habit for many of us, and hard to imagine it is over...we planted a beautiful flowering crab tree for Sue's birthday and Ray and mom and sister came up from TX and we had our Pastor dedicate it, and then we let 70 purple and silver balloons into the air...it was so cool! It's really hard to believe I will not see her again until my time here is over. I miss her terribly, I think I always will. My sister in law, Lisa gave me abook which I am reading right now called HEAVEN, by Randy Alcorn that is awesome. It is quite interesting in case any of you want to know what Heaven might be like....

Also, this blog was given some note of "art" distinction here on blogger....I thought that was cool. Take care and I am sure Ray and I will be blogging occasionally still....so stick around friends!



Kari, our sister dragged us to a "Cat Show" in Houston, even Ray had to go!! He drove us! Ray LOVED it...(wink, wink) We even got our pic taken with a celebrity cat!! We laughed about that for ever!!

Alex, Sue, Reed Herman & my brother in law Donovan Saba, what's interesting about this pic is that it is Easter and Sue called me to see if she could bring 2 friends who had no place to go for Easter..I said sure, the more the merrier...Reed entertained all of us with his various tattoo's and stories and the other guest was Lonnie, a magician who was also fabulously entertaining. She always was making sure everyone was ok and had somewhere to go....I will miss her interesting friends and mystery visitors...

See Sue on the left, she always helped plan and entertain for my daughter Ashlee's (her niece) birthdays, as Sue LOVED birthdays and loved helping!! See how happy she looks as she leads a game of duck duck gray duck!!

I took this pic of Sue in our office on a sunny day, it was one of her favorite's because the sunlight on her face wasn't so obvious until we looked at the pic!!

Take care til I see you again.

XOXOXO Kaylee

O’, The Places Sue Will Go

Susan won’t be far from us; but o’ the places she will go.

She’ll be as close to our hearts as near as her name is to our lips. She’ll soar with angels and learn their odd and curious ways. But she’ll also walk with us when our tread is heavy and our minds baffled by God’s confusing Plans.

She’ll sit in a great Hall of Learning while great Masters teach the ways of Heaven and Creation. She can’t wait till she’s a teacher herself and share her knowledge with her family and friends when it is our time. She’ll maneuver us all through the avenues and passages of the Kingdom on a grand road trip with her familiarity of Heaven’s short cuts and scenic stops. I'm sure there will be a farmer's market to browse and sushi to dine.

Till then she’ll sail to the far end of the galaxy on a pirate ship, with the Jolly Roger flapping on the breeze of gamma rays and solar winds, crossing swords with Black Beard and Captain Morgan – a mischievous wink behind her eye patch and a laugh to be heard all the way back into our dreams.

She will sit with Edgar Allan Poe and attempt to lift his spirits with quotes from a Will Ferrell movie. The dark poet will chuckle from “Old man, I'm gonna come at you like a spider monkey!” Sunset turns to night and back to morning as the laughter goes on for a very long time.

Johnny Cash will pluck a tune just for her; and he will point to earth and says: “I wrote that for you to share with your man below.” I will hear it in my sleep as she strokes my hair softly as she did when she was with me.

As far away as she seems to be she’ll always be by our sides for every Christmas and Halloween, in times of rain and warm spring breezes, birthdays and anniversaries, graduations and every precious moment coming to us. When we think we’re alone with our sighs and tears and the yearning to fill the Susan-shaped hole inside of us, she’ll be close to us to remind us of all the good times and her love for us that will never wither on the vine.

Life is a wink, a snap of the fingers in the eyes of Eternity. It really won’t be that long till we’re together again to continue the love and company we had before we were momentarily separated. It just seems that way for us mortals. We miss our Susan, our Sue, beloved daughter, sister, friend, love of my life. But we have wonderful memories of her that supersede the ones we want to forget. Those good memories will connect us to her keenly and without fail.

So to remember her with fondness and the moments we shared with her, let the final words of the great master Dr. Seuss sink the truth within us and have it take root: “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

Ray

Some Pix from Sue's Services

Greetings to Everyone-

I miss blogging about my wonderful sister so much and the updates and pics, and how all the comments made her feel so great. She could never believe how any people read, and visited the blog and cared and prayed. I am so thankful for all of you and the hope and prayers that kept her lifted up.I have gone back so many times just to look at it, I just haven't been able to bring myself to write in it and share pics. My dad, Ashlee& I made it back to MN in 23 hrs floating in his boat otherwise known as a Buick RoadMaster. There is a reasone they named it that...it really is the "master" of the road. I hope everyone is doing well and I have thought of everyone often and how much so many of you helped me and supported me while I was planning the services for Sue and in the midst of the horrible pain and realization that she was gone forever.

There is a permanent slide show set to music at http://www.mem.com/ for Sue that was playing during her visitation that you can go to and see. Just enter Her last and first name in the search and it pulls it up and then click on movie. It is really nice.

Here are the service pics:

Earthman Funeral Home Chapel- where her visitation was - thanks to all who sent beautiful flowers. You can see the two sceeens which played the slide show set to music continually throughout the visitation.

Sue's silver casket, Pallbearers are Mike Walstad, Eric Pickett, Alex Walstad, Reuben Arryoa (sorry I can't spell it!) , Steve Wilson, and Jessica Martinez, RAy's sister.

The gravesite, it is in a beautiful cemetary, WoodLawn, and she buried beneath a tree which was filled with wind chimes, which Sue loved and collected. Ray will bring one for Sue to hang in the tree. On the other side were huge blooming flowering bushes.


The chapel at 2nd Baptist where Sue's memorial service was held. It was filled with beautiful stained glass each depicting a scene from the bible. There was about 150-175 people in attendance.

Steve Wilson, Eric Pickett & me (I look horrible and at this point had been crying straight for 6 days.) The 11x14 framed photo of Sue was atthe front of the chapel and also at the visitation. Eric and I spoke at the memorial service about Sue's impact on our lives and the lives of so many others.

Ray gave my mom Sue's car, Greenie. I threw this in here as my mom hasn't driven since 2004 because she hates driving and always has and thought she could retire...but her two main drivers Sue and my dad are both gone, so she has decided she could drive Sue's car and she has been. She said she can feel Sue's presence when she drives. Keep my mom in your prayers....:)

I am also going to get Eric's speech and copy it here and also a copy of mine for all of you to read if you so desire. Please take care and i will post "stuff" here, I just don't want it to become Kaylee's Journey .....

XOXOX Kaylee

Thank You

Just a quick post to thank everyone who attended Sue's visitation, burial and/or funeral. Everyone of you helped so much to give us all the strength to get through these few tough days. All of your prayers, kind words, hugs and stories really did help lift the heavy sorrow. Thanks so much to Pastor Jeff Calhoun, for his amazing kindness and family visits and prayers and for going the extra mile and making Sue's memorial service so special and memorable. We will be eternally thankful for your presence.

It has been the hardest time in life so far, but I am going to start each day like Sue did, finding something to be thankful for and thanking the Lord. I am thankful to have had a sister as great as Sue, even though her loss right now is unbearable, it is true, it is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all.

SUsan's company, Thomas Properties was also out in great numbers to show their respect and freindship, and we are all so impressed by everyone. Thank you all for your support, food, kindness, stories...you were all amazing. Thanks for following the blog and for your prayers. I will never forget any of you.

The burial and service today went beautifully, and when it was all done I was emotionally and physically exhausted. I am sorry for the people I didn't get to talk to. Thanks again for coming and showing support for Susan and Ray.

Speaking of Ray, he was also amazing and courageous and strong. I am so proud of you Ray. FOr everything, for wanting to do the very best to memorialize Sue. Everything was perfect and you planned it from the start to finish. I felt really good about everything when it was all done, more than good-so so so happy by how nice it all was and how well it all went and how many people came to show their love. I was amazed by how many people Sue had touched in her time in Houston. It is going to be hard to go back to my life and not have Sue to talk to and laugh with...but I will see her again, I KNOW IT!

Thank also to Deb for the beautiful songs and to Eric for his very funny and poignant eulogy today, let me know if the jury comes in on the ghost thing...!! Thanks to Steve & RUben for being pallbearers and for just being there to support our families. You guys were awesome!! Mary, Mo and the others who chipped in and brought us food, and then showed up for everything and stayed til the end to offer your support, you are awesome!! I know I am forgetting people, and I am sorry...I am a little brain dead from all this and Ashlee and I are leaving tomorrow with my dad to drive his car back to MN.

Oh...thank you for all the beautiful flowers, phone calls from my friends and family back home and for your breast cancer donations!!!!!!! The flowers were beautiful and there were so many!! I will add more, but I just want all of you to know how much each and everyone of your prayers and care meant to all of our family!! Take care and may God bless each and everyone of you.

XOXO Kaylee

Visitation, Burial & Memorial Service Information for Susan

Greetings-

Following is the burial and memorial service informationfor Susan. Everyone is invited and welcome, so if you can come we would LOVE it and welcome you to Houston.

Flowers may be sent to: or in lieu of flowers we will have Susan G. Klomen Breast cancer donation paperwork for you to donate in Susan's name.

Earthman Funeral Home
8303 Katy Freeway
Houston, TX 77024 (713)465-8900

Susan's Visitation will be Sunday, June 22nd from 5pm to 9pm at Earthman Funeral Home, flowers can begin to arrive on Saturday if you wish, they are located at:
8303 Katy Freeway; Houston (713)465-8900 for directions

Susan's Burial will be at 10:00 am at Woodlawn Cemetary on Monday June 23rd the address is:
1101 Antoine Drive; Houston (713)682-3663 for directions

Susan's Memorial Service and Luncheon following will be at Second Baptist Church at 11:00 am:
The church is located at Woodridge & Voss , right off of Woodway. We are hoping all of you can make it.

Thanks again for following Sue's progression through this horrible disease and for praying for her and for your care and concern. Thanks so much to her work here in Houston and in Philadelphia and LA for all you did to help her and care for her. You made her feel so special and so successful and all she wanted to do was "get back to work", she loved her job and the people she worked with. Thank you for making a difference in her life. You really did. Thanks to her manager and better yet, great friend Eric Pickett, for your hospital and home visits and for caring about her fully, she had the time of her life and thought herself to be luckiest person because she knew you. And there are so many of you out there. Too many to name, but you know who you are. Sue had a way of making you feel special and I just don't know how I will manage without my little angel sister. Thanks again for everything, we are all indebted to you. God Bless you and remember we are not angry at God for our loss as He has a plan for all of us, we do not understand why sometimes, but we need to trust Him and that is why it is called faith. I have faith to know Sue will have heaven figured out so when I get there she will greet me and show me the ropes and I can once again be with my beloved angel I called my sister.

XOXO Kaylee

Susan's Journey

Susan and Ray in January 2008


Beautiful Susan at Pappadeaux restaurant when she could finally go out to dinner with everyone!



Susan's Journey with cancer ended today at 7:50am this morning. Susan was surrounded by Ray, her parents Doug and Kay, Kari, Ray's parents Janie and Raymond Martinez and Ray's sister Jessica and family friend and adopted sister Gloria. I was praying to God she would be able to hang on until I got there at 10am, but sadly I missed saying goodbye to my beloved sister. Our family had Sue's body remain in the room and my parents and Kari and Ray took me to the hospital so I could say goodbye to her and hug and kiss her one more time.

Susan's system began to shutdown due to the excessive tumors and acidic fluid put out by them. Her journey ended quickly in a cardiac arrest. Ray, his mother and I are going to be meeting with the funeral home, church and cemetary tomorrow to set up all the details. We will be posting the funeral details and where to send flowers/memorials should you be interested. Thanks for all your prayers and care and concern. We are also looking for pics you may have of Sue to use in a memorial for her. Please email to either Kaylee : kayleewalstad@msn.com or Ray : dalquiel@hotmail.com . Thanks again for keeping Sue in your prayers. This has been absolutely devastating.

New Update

Susan has taken a turn for the worse this late afternoon, she began having difficulties breathing and had alot of mucous and fluid, so they brought in a bunch of specialists for her lungs, they used something to take try to take the fluid out and had a portable chest xray to see what was going on, they moved her to the Intensive Care Unit where she is currently and said they thought she either had a very bad infection or a pulmonary clot/tumor. They are giving her meds for both and told my family she could pass away. She is currently on a ventilator with Ray and his family and my family all there at the hospital. This is a very scary situation and I am asking you to please pray for my sister. I am expecting a miracle because Sue is a MAJOR LEAGUE fighter. I am getting ready to leave on the first flight out and that is at 7am tomorrow, so I will update this blog to let everyone know how the situation is. Thank you so so so much for your love, care and prayers. (this is Kaylee from Mn interpretting all the family phone calls, so if I am a little off, Ray will correct it later)

XOXOXO Kaylee

This Past Weekend

Much has happened since the last blog entry; and since the dust from the mental maelstrom has settled at least to knee-levels, I feel this makes a good opportunity to speak as to what is happening so far.

For starters, Susan is back at the hospital. Saturday evening, Susan had a lot of difficulty getting up from the couch, standing and walking. We had an ambulance deliver her to the Hermann Memorial hospital because it would have been too difficult to transport her by car. Plus, we thought if she went by ambulance it would be like going through the express lane of hospital processes. To say the least, we were wrong about that. Over all she’s been at the hospital ever since, going through a battery of tests and examinations.

She’s received very little sleep since this all started. And it’s very difficult to communicate with her because she lost her voice. The doctor’s can’t really explain the reason for her loss. There’s been a lot of speculation, but so far nobody with white coats and stethoscopes has come with a definite answer yet. Hopefully they will soon.

More importantly I hope they can tell me if she can stand up on her own and walk soon, if not today then when. Because she’s been in bed practically 24/7, and I would like them to do physical therapy on her before her legs get too weak from lying down too long.

Monday they inserted a catheter in her back to help drain future fluid build-up that could develop in her chest cavity.

This morning – way early this morning – they gave her a new chemo to deal with the spreading of the tumors on her arm. As I’m writing this, they are either giving her a third attempt at an MRI, or she’s sleeping. She’s gotten very little of the latter, so I hope she’s getting sleep before they put her through that ordeal of the former.

Susan has endured so much this weekend that I pray and hope she gets a quick relief from it all. Strength in her legs, confidence to walk steady again, and the return of her voice would be good starters. I want her home and better again, and back on the road to recovery as she was before.

Please pray for her that she receives just that. Susan’s strong and resilient. The monster in her wants to be, too. But it won’t get that chance. Susan’s tenacity, the love everybody has for her, and prayers from friends and family will see to it that the monster doesn’t win.

Ray

Biopsy Results are in

Ray received the news regarding Sue's biopsy and chest x-ray yesterday. The biopsy showed the rash on Sue's arm, shoulder and breast was cancer and her xray showed some fluid building up (but not nearly what was there before), so a new direction will be taken with Sue's chemo and treatment.

Sue will be put on a different chemo and she will have the fluid taken out of her chest cavity again. It was a VERY painful procedure so we are hoping it will go better this time as it is not as much fluid.

Monday Sue and Ray will be meeting with Dr Nguyen, Sue's oncologist to go over everything and discuss a new course of attack against this beast. SO I know they have a list of questions and things to discuss and we'll keep you updated with what is going on with Sue's treatments.

Sue has been tired, but is staying positive and strong within! We Frangos' are fighters and our family has really pulled together with Ray and everyone is doing everything they can to support her and surround her with everything they have to give.

Please pray for wisdom for Sue's Dr.s and for this cancer to get under control. To be stopped in it's tracks and for Sue's levels to remain good and stable. Thank you for checking on Sue and caring enough to include her in your prayers. God Bless You this weekend and don't forget to tell your dad Happy Father's Day tomorrow!! :)

XOXOXOXO Kaylee

I am taking Over....!!

Okay, I can't let this blog sit untouched another day!! I love reading this and getting the updates, so here goes!!

Sue had a lymphedema clinic appointment on Monday, however Fri day she developed a rash on her "tick" arm, so when she went in on Monday they said they couldn't wra or treat her arm til her Dr looked at it to discern if it was an infection (which is not uncommon with lymphedema) and is treated by a 10 day course of antibiotics or if it was something else. So my mom and dad took Sue in to see Dr Nguyen and waited for awhile to see him. He looked at it and said it was either an infection or the cancer has spread to that area, so he decided to biopsy it, which was a little painful for Sue. We are currently waiting for results on that and don't expect them quickly! Even though we all want to know right away! Dr Nguyen put Sue ont he antibiotic right away and she is taking it just in case itis an infection-pray that it is!! Secondarily, Sue had her chemo early as well that day while she was there. Then when she was done with that, my dad took her to get a chest xray, because her voice has been hoarse and they just want to make certain her chest cavity isn't refilling back up. SO we are also waiting on the results of that. On a SUPER DUPER good note, Sue's blood levels were the best they have ever been so that is going well! So Sue has been doing good, her breathing and getting around are good, just this extra stuff!

Sue has been eating ok, and resting and nothing major to report!! I just wanted to ask you if you could really continue to pray that the Lord would take this cancer away, keep Sue strong, keep her levels great and for this chemo to work and that her chest cavity would not refill and that she just has an infection which clears up quickly! Thanks for all your prayers and support! I am sorry nothing has been on here on a regular basis, but Ray got busy and I am here in MN, so I will start reporting again from MN!!! :)

We hope you are all doing great! My dad is flying home next Wed to see his sister who is very ill with cancer and in home hospice. He will be home for 2 weeks and I am sure Sue and Ray will really miss him! Take care and please keep praying for Sue!! Thanks to all of Sue's co-workers for checking the blog and for caring, she really misses work and talks about everyone often!

XOXOXO Kaylee

Captain Susan & Family

Helllo and a hearty yo ho ho to you all!
What a great week we've had! Sorry I haven't posted anything lately. To make up for it a bit here is a little sumary and some photos from today.

Starting last Saturday we are attending the little farmer's market that I used to visit all the time. Its been fun to be back! We took photo's the first time but, we didn't know that the memory card was not in the camera so we can't get them to upload onto here. We went again today but, forgot the camera! BUMMER! We will try to remember next week!

We went to a fundraiser for Captain Lily's Pirate Team for the three day walk coming up in November. Deb donated her expertise and time by running a karaoke show and my sis Kari bought food, auction items and spent hours decoraing the bar tonight. It was such a fun time!! THanks to everyone who showed up sag and donated. This was my first big social outing since I became sick. I surprised even myself that I was able to stay as long as I did!

Captain Susan at home before the event

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR! A toast to everyone!

Pirate Mom!

Dad makes a cool pirate too!



Having fun at the fundraiser!!!

Koo-Koo in her awesome Captain Susan t-shirt created by Deb

Also, on Thursday my old lunch buddies Eric & Steve picked up lunch and came over it was AWESOME to see them and chat. They rock!!!

I hope everyone is having a relaxing and fun weekend. As always thanks for all prayers, positive thoughts love and care. I pray that the Lord would bless you all with whatever you need the most.

Lots of love,

Susan