Six Months With Mommy

'This book is a must read for every child and parent-to understand the role that a terminal person’s historyplays in how they choose to fight for their lives.'Zeda Foltz -Then 96 year old retired teacher / neighbor / Circa 2005'I found the book both healing and compelling. The honesty with which Andre conveys his feelings during this ordeal, gave words to the feelings I felt when I lost my husband Don (Andre’s College Coach at the UW) a few years ago. When Andre spoke this past summer at the American Cancer Society charity event, there was not a dry eye in the house. I want to thank him for helping me through the process of my own grieving and healing.' Carol James -Wife of Don James, former Head Football Coach -University of Washington'Thank you for sharing this important and heart-warming story. As I am familiar with losing a mother to cancer, I know your writing will help and touch the lives of others.'Adam Silver - NBA CommissionerWritten by Educator and two time author Andre N. Hayes (The Sport of Learning & Your Brain is a Muscle Too!), ’Six Months with Mommy: Chronicles from the battlefronts of Cancer’ is an essential guide for all caregivers who have been summons to take care of a loved one who is terminally ill. The book guides readers through the maze of events that collectively shape the dynamic of terminal caregiving, and provides insight and ultimately timely support for the caregiver. Andre chronicled his journey with a journal and photographs, to capture the raw emotion of the moment and un-expected pitfalls that he experienced while caring for his dying mother Lulu Hayes. These pitfalls were a source of great angst, because they would often broadside him-and set him back emotionally and psychologically for days at a time. Other pitfalls came masquerading as false hope, which created emotional chaos and devastation. He promised his mother that her suff ering would not be in vein, and that he would chronicle her story and all the elements surrounding being a terminal cancer patient. This deep level of understanding is conveyed throughout the book, and off ers anecdotal insight into the ultimate job: when one is asked to Steward their loved ones into the sunset of their lives. ’Six months with Mommy’ is a must read for every human being, because at some point we are all summons to give.