Rani’s story begins with her February 2021 diagnosis of stage four bile duct cancer at age 35. Chemotherapy treatments at the Upstate Cancer Center followed by extensive surgeries at Sloan-Kettering gave us all hope and for a brief time she was cancer free.
All that changed when her cancer returned with a vengeance just 2 years later. Her body too weak to tolerate further treatments and surgeries, she knew she had to make a decision that no mother with a young family wanted to make. Rani’s biggest concern was not herself but that of her daughter Sophie – she did not want to die at home and make that a memory for an 8-year-old little girl.
Along with her family, it was ultimately decided that Abraham House would be the best place for her end-of-life care. We were fortunate to hear within hours that a bed was available for Rani in the Rome Abraham House. And we could not have made a better choice. The compassion and professionalism of the staff far exceeded any expectations we may have had. Rani had many friends and relatives supporting her throughout her journey; so many, that at times it seemed that we had overtaken the place. Visits that began early in the morning and lasted late into the night were all taken in stride. Her caregivers could not have been any more accommodating. When Rani’s time was nearly at an end, we were allowed all the time needed to say our farewells. After she passed the staff lovingly attended to her so that others could come to see her for one last time.
