2006-06-08 15:47![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
stormiestl
stormiestlJEANETTE EUBANKS MEMORIAL
Jeanette Eubanks was born Nov. 14, 1939, in Alton to Herbert and Muriel (Oglesby) Forcade. She, died on Wednesday, May 17, 2006. Larry, her husband, Britt and Carolee her children survive her. She has one sister and one brother.
I did not know much about MS before I met Jeanette. But I have come to learn much in the last 15 years. Multiple sclerosis affects 2.5 million people worldwide, including 400,000 Americans. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, potentially debilitating disease that affects the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain and spinal cord. Doctors and researchers think the illness is probably an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system attacks part of your body as if it's a foreign substance. In multiple sclerosis, the body incorrectly directs antibodies and white blood cells against proteins in the myelin sheath, which surrounds nerves in your brain and spinal cord. This causes inflammation and injury to the sheath and ultimately to the nerves that it surrounds. The result may be multiple areas of scarring (sclerosis). Eventually, this damage can slow or block the nerve signals that control muscle coordination, strength, sensation and vision. There is no curative treatment available for the MS. Oh and one more thing. MS is NOT contagious. You cannot get it from being in the same room as someone with MS.
Jeanette could not go out that often in the last few years. But I do know that when she did, it was a memorable occasion. She loved going to the casinos. She liked shopping. I know that she would have enjoyed playing cards, visiting or talking on the phone with anyone of you here today. She had an open and warm heart. I found early on that Jeanette did not mince any words with you if she thought you needed her opinion. Which I found out, was all the time. ;) Her sense of humor was unbelievable and sometimes very dry. There were times, I had to think if she was joking or if she was mad at me. I came to know that if Jeanette was mad, you knew, whom she was mad at and why.
I know many of you are grieving today as I am. I pray that God will guide us through all of the grieving process. I feel many things today. Grief, upset, anger to name a few. I grieve because I lost someone I felt an affinity to and unfortunately for Britt and Carolee, I remind them a lot of their mother. I am upset because those that Jeanette thought were her friends seemed to abandon her over the last several years. I am angry because some in her family did not call, did not come to see her and could not be bothered, but now they are upset that she is gone. Some have been making big scenes. I ask you why? Why grieve now when you were not there when she was living? You did not celebrate her life. Why grieve in her death?
So for those of you who did not see or call Jeanette Eubanks or her husband, son or daughter, in the last several years, I hope that in the future you put yourself in her place. I hope that you learn about MS and what it can do to the body. For those of you that were not there in all these last years, I have this to say, you were no more her friend or family than some stranger on the street.
I will miss you Jeanette. I will celebrate your life and I hope that I have your strength, love and temerity to get through any obstacles that are put in my way. I pray that my sense of humor and my straightforwardness continues as I have also passed that on to both of my children and grandchildren. Godspeed Jeanette.
Jeanette Eubanks was born Nov. 14, 1939, in Alton to Herbert and Muriel (Oglesby) Forcade. She, died on Wednesday, May 17, 2006. Larry, her husband, Britt and Carolee her children survive her. She has one sister and one brother.
I did not know much about MS before I met Jeanette. But I have come to learn much in the last 15 years. Multiple sclerosis affects 2.5 million people worldwide, including 400,000 Americans. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, potentially debilitating disease that affects the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain and spinal cord. Doctors and researchers think the illness is probably an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system attacks part of your body as if it's a foreign substance. In multiple sclerosis, the body incorrectly directs antibodies and white blood cells against proteins in the myelin sheath, which surrounds nerves in your brain and spinal cord. This causes inflammation and injury to the sheath and ultimately to the nerves that it surrounds. The result may be multiple areas of scarring (sclerosis). Eventually, this damage can slow or block the nerve signals that control muscle coordination, strength, sensation and vision. There is no curative treatment available for the MS. Oh and one more thing. MS is NOT contagious. You cannot get it from being in the same room as someone with MS.
Jeanette could not go out that often in the last few years. But I do know that when she did, it was a memorable occasion. She loved going to the casinos. She liked shopping. I know that she would have enjoyed playing cards, visiting or talking on the phone with anyone of you here today. She had an open and warm heart. I found early on that Jeanette did not mince any words with you if she thought you needed her opinion. Which I found out, was all the time. ;) Her sense of humor was unbelievable and sometimes very dry. There were times, I had to think if she was joking or if she was mad at me. I came to know that if Jeanette was mad, you knew, whom she was mad at and why.
I know many of you are grieving today as I am. I pray that God will guide us through all of the grieving process. I feel many things today. Grief, upset, anger to name a few. I grieve because I lost someone I felt an affinity to and unfortunately for Britt and Carolee, I remind them a lot of their mother. I am upset because those that Jeanette thought were her friends seemed to abandon her over the last several years. I am angry because some in her family did not call, did not come to see her and could not be bothered, but now they are upset that she is gone. Some have been making big scenes. I ask you why? Why grieve now when you were not there when she was living? You did not celebrate her life. Why grieve in her death?
So for those of you who did not see or call Jeanette Eubanks or her husband, son or daughter, in the last several years, I hope that in the future you put yourself in her place. I hope that you learn about MS and what it can do to the body. For those of you that were not there in all these last years, I have this to say, you were no more her friend or family than some stranger on the street.
I will miss you Jeanette. I will celebrate your life and I hope that I have your strength, love and temerity to get through any obstacles that are put in my way. I pray that my sense of humor and my straightforwardness continues as I have also passed that on to both of my children and grandchildren. Godspeed Jeanette.
