Two nights ago here in NZ, we got a phone call from my dad telling us my baby sister Katherine had died. She had a pulmonary embolism and died very suddenly. Apparently she was out bowling with friends, then they came home and she just collapsed. They called an ambulance, and the paramedics arrived and worked on her and rushed her to the hospital. Not sure of any more details from then on, but she didn't make it. Now Katherine did have a genetic clotting disorder, but supposedly it was under control, so she was no longer taking her anti-coagulants. I'm not saying anyone could or should have predicted this, I'm obviously no doctor, but t this was completely out of the blue.
And of course, my poor mom was half way around the world visiting me in New Zealand and trying to deal with all this from here. And if you don't know me very well, I am not the best at hugely emotionally charged situations that directly involve me. I tend to shut it out, which is exactly what I've been doing so far. So we've been flooded with phone calls and emails, and my mom is flying back to be with the rest of my family in just a few hours. Mark and I are going to take another day to let this all digest, and fly back tomorrow.
We do not yet know when or where the funeral will be, but possibly Wednesday or Thursday. We are all still trying to get our head around this. You are never supposed to lose your baby sister, much less your daughter, at the age of 20. So please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers, and all your support has been incredible so far. My baby sister will be missed, and I love her.