Goodbye Lindsey

I am so sorry to tell you the world has lost a brilliant light. Lindsey died this morning at Canuck Place. She was beautiful and brave right until the end.

Tony, Sadie, Lindsey and Darlene

Just a couple of hours after my blog post last night, her father Tony posted an update.

Lindsey update March 14, 2013
Family and friends 
My 18 year old daughter, Lindsey Lourenco, has been battling Leukemia for almost 6 years. Five times this cancer has ravaged our child and after years of chemotherapy, radiation, a bone marrow transplant and a lot of prayers, her days are literally numbered. She has been unconscious for almost a week now, her pain mostly under control and her comfort our only concern.
To celebrate Lindsey’s 1 year transplant date in 2011, my wife, Darlene, wrote Lindsey a song. She has sang it only once at our daughter’s celebration and it was an emotional performance.
Last night I came into Lindsey’s hospital room to find Darlene strumming a borrowed guitar and singing to our little girl. She wanted Lindsey to hear her song one more time and I felt compelled to pick up my phone and record it.
I truly believe that even though Lindsey is in a coma, she can hear her mother singing and feel the love all around her. I can’t help but think that even in the most difficult and painful time of our lives, there are moments of beauty and powerful, unconditional love.
An unedited, unrehearsed, completely raw and shaky recording of a mother singing to her dying daughter, my precious daughter, Lindsey: Love you forever, baby girl.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVjmihgZp1U&feature=youtu.be

I am honoured to have met Lindsey. She was so strong, so full of grace and forgiveness, even in the worst times. She was a true champion and showed all of us the meaning of courage. Lindsey was funny and silly too. She and her sister Sadie had a super yummy cheese ball recipe, which she kindly shared with me. She was aghast I had never tried a homemade cheese ball before! Why don’t we all make that cheese ball every Christmas in her memory? Somehow I think she’d like that.

Here it is, exactly as Lindsey sent it to me:

Cheese ball recipe 🙂

2 packages of cream cheese, softened

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp red peppers- really finely chopped

1 tbsp green pepper- really finely chopped

1 tbsp onion-  really finely chopped

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

optional- Pinch of salt or kayenne pepper

Then roll in chopped parsley or chopped nuts

Love,

Elaine, Aaron and Addison

PS Thank you to everyone for their heartfelt comments. I will send them all to the Lourencos.