Jeannine is my wonderful daughter and diagnosed with ALS seven years ago. She met several challenges during her lifetime but did not allow anything to steal her joy for life. When diagnosed with ALS, she could no longer do many of her favorite activities. She never complained and adjusted to the new normal. Confined to a wheelchair for many years, she entertained herself playing her favorite video game, Warcraft. When a friend of her son’s said, “You have to get well to go home and play Warcraft,” she smiled slightly. We played soothing music for her, and the soundtrack of the game. She enjoyed watching cooking shows and cooked up to her last year. If she was not watching a cooking show, there is a good chance she had Little House on the Prairie playing. I told her, “You must know every line in every show,” she answered, “Yep.” Her favorite DVDs were the Ellen show, Reba, and I Love Lucy, and her favorite movie was Breakfast Club, which she had on her FB page. She was a Buccaneer fan, staying with them through thick and thin. To my chagrin, she had a Bucs flag tattoo on her ankle. I bought a cardboard Jeannine, she with other cardboard fans “attended” the Bucs playoff during the COVID-19 shutdown. She asked us to go to the Tampa Bay Stadium to pick up Free Bucs Gear. Spencer and I got up early and drove to Tampa. We waited in line behind many other fans. We slowly moved toward the “free stuff.” She was thrilled with all the “goodies.” Spencer and I, her brother, Dan, and her loving sons, Christian and Vinny. Her seven-year caregiver, Ellen. Her first grandchild, Arianna, stayed with Jeannine on the weekends. Jeannine dearly loved her and was grateful for her help. Her second grandchild was Eli. The weekend before Jeannine entered the hospital, she was thrilled both stayed the night. They slept on the couch behind her while she played her video game. She shared with me how happy she was to have them with her. Her third grandchild is little young Callan, and she loved seeing this little guy. If he doesn’t remember his grandmother, we will share memories with him. The day after she died, we gathered in her home, and he was kicking a ball like a soccer pro. I know she would have loved to watch that. All the kids gathered in Jeannine’s bedroom, something else that would please her. We are proud of her positive fight as she endured the disease. We love and will miss her, but she is with us forever. We send our LOVE to Jeannine, the daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, patient, friend, and second mom.
