By Brian Lafferty

June 27, 2012 (San Diego) – Faithful readers know my mother died of breast cancer almost two years ago. In less than three months, she underwent a mastectomy, endured a weeklong stay at a Palm Springs hospital, and a month of ineffective IV infusions. In mid-November that year, she experienced extreme pain that left her in tears. My Dad came home from work early, prayed with her, and then took her to the hospital. She came home for hospice care about a week later and passed away the day before my twenty-fifth birthday.