Linda Barrows with her new book which is a daughter’s story of her mother’s struggle with ovarian cancer. “Death in Ten Days - A Daughter’s Story” is a book by Northfield writer, Linda Barrows, about her mother, Dolores.

In 2001, the writer’s Mom found out she had ovarian cancer. Her Doctor gave her one to five years maximum to live. She lived another eight and a half years.

Dolores had so much courage and strength and wanted to enjoy her life the best she could the writer said.

“I was my Mom’s primary caregiver and she had Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, who gave her excellent care.”

The book begins with the day the family first found out about the ovarian cancer. The battles that Mom won along the way, to when her doctor told her there was nothing more that he could do, to losing the war to cancer.

The book is written through the eyes of the author and the writer’s thoughts.

“As I tell the story, I will take you on an unforgettable journey. I share private conversations, my deepest thoughts, and the struggle of having to tell my Mom, who I love with all my heart, that it was okay for her to die.”

This book will make you cry, smile, and keep you wondering about the mystery of death. More importantly, it is the writer’s hope that it will give other caregivers encouragement and comfort.

“When you become a loved one’s caregiver, the most important part is attitude and honesty. With my Mom if she was not feeling well she did not want people, telling her she looked good. She told me, “I know how I look and feel.”

“I always tried to be upbeat and positive around her,” Linda said. “I was on this journey with my Mom until the end and it was important not to take her Independent Spirit away from her. She was in control of her life. I was around to make sure everything went smoothly and Mom was comfortable and content.”

“Even though we had discussed her death and her wishes that she wanted carried out, I never dwelled on it. My goal was for my Mom to have a very happy life. In many ways, Mom made it easy on me. She had all of her funeral arrangements made ahead of time and she had everything written down the way she wanted things handled, and she had a living will.”

“As a Caregiver, I knew the end was nearing and I had to make sure she had everything she needed and to make her comfortable. As a Daughter, I still held on to the Hope that she would bounce back as she had many times before and get better.”

The hardest part was when Hospice Nurse Patti told Linda it was time to tell my Mom it was okay for her to die. In the book, Linda explains the emotions she went through and what she actually said to her Mom.

“My Heart and Soul went into writing this book. I had so many emotions inside me after my Mom died that one day I began writing them down. This book was therapy for me, which I never thought would be published.”

The book is currently for sale at the Northfield Pharmacy. “Even though the Pharmacy was not mentioned in the book, Jill and her Staff were a big part of my Mother’s medical care. Their pleasant attitudes and helpful advice made my frequent visits more pleasurable,” Linda said.

You can also order the book online at: http://www.publ ishamerica.net/prod- uct93057.html or any bookstore can order it for you.

“I mailed my Mother’s Sister a copy. She called me and said that the book was a beautiful tribute to her Sister. Part of my goal was to pay tribute to a Woman that so many people knew and loved and to honor her memory for generations to come.

I love you Mom. You are always in my heart.”