Honoring Michele Kelleher: Support Her Final Journey

With the heaviest hearts to announce my mother, Michele Kelleher, has passed away peacefully with family by her side. At only 60 years young she was a fighter and very strong woman.

About one year ago in August 2023, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went through chemotherapy and radiation. Nearly at the end of the second round, she got swollen in the legs and feet. We brought her to the hospital to help her get the swelling down. At that point she was in the hospital for nearly a month and was a fall risk with still being able to walk. She ended up being in Hudsonview rehab where she ended up going back into the hospital with trouble breathing and with minor pneumonia and rsv. She was then put on the vent for 5 days due to the oxygen levels being all over and being hard to breathe. She got out of it with some minor confusion and not being able to walk. She went back to rehab until they sent her home due to no more time from the insurance. We took care of her until she ended up going back into the hospital for hard time breathing and fluid build up where she ended up in cardio icu. She was on a vent again but this time for 8 days. Worried if her conditions didn’t get better we would need to explore more options. She started to get better and the confusion was worse this time around. After being transported up to another floor she decided she no longer wanted food from the hospital and ordere 80$ worth of Chinese food. I was mad but I understood why she did it. She went to a new rehab for only a week because that’s what alotted in her insurance time. She came back home and we started therapy at home where she got her wheelchair and pt ot started. After a couple of weeks it ended and we tried to continue it. She fell ill again right at the end of August.

I took her to the hospital. Where I stood with her until 3 am to make sure she was alright. From there she declined more. She stopped eating and drinking she was dehydrated and started on iv fluids. She then had a day where she was hungry and ate a banana and 2 cartons of milk. She was staring at the sky a lot not really talking but gave a lot of facial expressions. She was very soft spoken and emotional. They then told me she was in renal failure and would need hospice care. After a while they put her on comfort care. She continually declining. She had a day where she ate a little and drink 2 waters and 2 juices which made me hopeful of recovery. The next day she was not wanting anything and was dazed off. After nearly 1 week of that she declined again and more.

She was gasping for air and stop breathing and would to continue to do so until she passed with family around.

if anyone knew she loved her little man ( my son) more than anything in this world. My mom was selfless and kind. She would give you clothes off her back , a place to stay and food to eat. Never had a mean bone in her. She was truly one of a kind and I will always be so grateful to her for everything she has shown me.

i want to be able to send her off properly and show her how much she was loved and how much she is appreciated. There will never be another like her. I will love and miss her until the end of time. Anything will help .