Dear Patricia,

Reading your post made me weep: nobody deserves to endure what you've gone through. However, like Alffe, I also saw a resourceful survivor. I also saw something I know you'll want to survive for.

When I read “daughter and her fiancé,” I thought sometime in the not too distant future there will likely be grandchildren. Oh Patricia, every grandmother on this forum will tell you that that is one joy you absolutely don’t want to miss. And you don’t want to cheat those grandbabies out of one sweet, loving, wise Grandma. All the most important things I learned in life, I learned on my maternal grandmother’s knee. I still think of her everyday and my daughter bears her name. Patricia, there is just no substitute for a Grandmother’s affection.

I understand how hard things are, but hold on for a present where you’re loved and a future where you’re needed.