Rest in Peace Nanny – Carol Emma Russo – Brave Soul Who Faced Terminal Cancer with Pure Love and Vitamin B-12 Shots

We are ONE family under Nanny and Pop, Indivisible because of our LOVE!

Life News that’s tough to bear, but in reality, just a hard part of LIFE

My Nanny, Carol Emma Russo passed away on Monday, March 4, 2013 at around 10:20 PM.  She was 84-years-old was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer diagnosis with only six months to live for an amazingly blessed additional 4 years, 10 months and 2 weeks.  She was a warrior and an inspiration.  She loved her family more than anything else in her life and she missed her beloved husband, Louis Thomas Russo who passed away October 2008. 

Nanny decided against Chemotherapy.  On the Car ride home from the Sloan Kettering, she told me, “Brian, I’m not taking that Chemo shit. I get sick from Aspirin, if I only have six months to live, I don’t want to be throwing up the whole time.”  Nanny’s doctor only gave her Vitamin B12 shots weekly and lots of Cortisone Shots to keep her dancing at weddings that she kept living for.  Nanny often spoke of the “power of love” and how it kept her alive.  Nanny got to witness the birth of four amazing children, Phyllis, Tom, and Barbara who all helped create one amazing family unit.

Nanny’s heart exponentially grew with Love 8 separate times in her life with her prized Grandchildren, Paul, Brian, Tommy, Rob, Vickie, Louis, Michele and Jaclyn.  She was blessed with several extra years to witness great weddings and her heart kept growing with great grand children Emily, Jonathan, Logan, Kaylee, Jordan, and Dominic. 

On Monday night, Nanny passed away was just 90 minutes after a beautiful guided meditation I did with my mother, Phyllis.  I took the kids home and at around 9:45 PM, Logan randomly says, “Nanny is disappearing from this Earth and going to Heaven.”  I replied, “Now?” and he replied, “Yes” – I quickly looked over my shoulder and out the window to a truck approaching, it was my Mom’s best friend. I called my Mom – I mean, I had just left a little while earlier, but Logan shook me down to the soul with his comment – My Mom was crying. I knew the end was near.

The moment Lucia got home from school, I raced over to find my Mom, Best Friend and care taker drinking tea in my Mom’s kitchen.  My mother told me, “My sister Dorie told us to go have Tea, that we needed a break.”  I sat with them for a few brief moments and then I went to show my Mom the video of Logan talking about Nanny and just as I pressed PLAY, the iPhone battery died.  I casually said, “It died” (meaning the phone) and my mind and focus immediately went towards Nanny.  This was one of the moments I had prepared emotionally for, but it was still hard.

Six years ago, I held Poppy’s hand as he passed away and it stuck with me, the beautiful feeling of the energy movement – feeling someone pass over to the next stage in their life in a sense.

Over the past few years, I realized and experienced what TRUE love was possible, just through touch or a pleasant thought, positive reinforcement or pleasant story telling opportunity.

I entered the room expecting to hear laboring breathing, but she was peaceful. I sat there and held Nanny’s hand for a few moments, said some prayers and mindful meditation and placed my head and ear over her heart, just to hear it beat three last times. I sat there for a few minutes in shock – I didn’t know what to do, but I kept my calm and wouldn’t let go of her hand until I felt a similar emotional feeling I experienced with Pop just six years ago. Then my Mom walked in…and my focus to comfort her became my main focus. Nanny was already off on her next adventure in life, to reunite with her beloved husband in the after life, in heaven, in her consciousness – whatever awaits us after life, I know she found him.

She left this Earth knowing everyone loved her and she pulsated that love in every action, breath and heart beat.  Now, it’s OUR turn to expand our love in our life for our children and future generations. We can SHOW LOVE above and beyond any other emotion on the planet and FORGIVE yourself and others.

Thank you for loving me so much Nanny, thank you for trying to love EVERYONE who ever came into your life as much as you did.  We will make YOU proud, we will make our FAMILY proud and LOVE each other more every day, in every way.  Until we meet again beautiful…hope you are already dancing with Poppy in Heaven (or whatever beautiful place awaits us all). Love you Nanny, always and forever.