Mother and daughter share their pain
Daughter seeks financial help to stay by ill mother’s side after surgery
This mother and daughter share each other’s pain – and there has been much to share. Lisa MacLean was just 10-years-old when she lost her father, who was husband to Marie MacLean for 15 years.
The pair shared the painful loss, leaning on one another for support.
Lisa, now 27, still lives with her mother in Mount Herbert. They continue to provide strong support as they both deal with serious health issues.
In 2015, Lisa required brain surgery in Moncton. She could not imagine tackling the risk-filled operation without the support of mom.
Islanders stepped up to help cover costs to allow Marie to travel with her daughter to Moncton.
“I didn’t want her to be over there hurting by herself,’’ Marie recalls.
“I didn’t want her going through things that I could help her with.’’
Lisa was in the ICU for almost a week. Marie didn’t budge.
“I pulled up a chair and I never moved for six days,’’ she says.
Lisa says having her mother, who she considers to be her best friend, by her side in the hospital meant the world to her.
“I don’t know what I would have done if she had not been there for my surgery. I was extremely nervous.’’
Now, Lisa is determined to give her mother the same support in a similar situation.
Marie was recently diagnosed with stage 3 muscle invasive bladder cancer.
She will be going to Halifax to have her bladder removed and have a urostomy, an opening in the belly that redirects urine away from the bladder. Marie, who also has two major hernias that have just kept growing over the past five years, is more than a bit nervous at the prospect of going under the knife. “I know it’s a big surgery… the surgery is seven hours long,’’ she says. “Complications can go wrong with every surgery.’’
Marie will be going to Halifax Feb. 13 for a consultation, than back again to Nova Scotia later for surgery.
She would like her daughter along for both trips, and in particular remaining with her following the surgery for a stay in hospital expected to stretch about three weeks.
They are disappointed that a plea for financial support via a gofundme campaign has garnered little response – only $75 in 13 days.
“It just doesn’t seem to be going anywhere at all,’’ says Lisa. She adds, “any help would be greatly appreciated.’’
Donations can be made at www.gofundme.com/in-aid-ofmarie-maclean-mcguigan.