Andrella Lopez Cross

One of my best friends passed away on Aug 19 2013 from cancer. Drell was diagnosed with uterus cancer in 2011 I went with her to the doctors when she found out that she had cancer. She was already advance stage 4 they said there was nothing they could do for her she had maybe 3 months to live.  She asked me to keep it quit because she didn't want to worry her husband or family.  That was really hard for me to do.  My older sister Gail met Andrella when they were in middle school and then our families became best friends. The first time that Gail brought Andrella over to our house I was 5 yrs old and I walked up to her and kicked her in the shin some 30 odd years later she has never forgotten that and would always remind me of how I kicked her.  Her older sister Lyna is my best friend in the whole wide world and she is mine and Scott godmother, their sister Nikki is Jake's godmother.  I went to some of her doctor appointments with her but mainly Lyna went. When she got diagnosed with cancer it had started in her uterus and cervix but it had spread through out her whole body.  It was in her bones basically every where. The doctors said chemo and radiation would not help her at all the only thing they can do for her is to giver her some thing for the pain and gave her calcium they were afraid of her breaking a bone. Drell continued to work out almost every day in the gym and the doctors told her she shouldn't run she didn't listen she would run then walk so that way she can tell the doctor she did walk on the tread mill. After her calcium treatments her cancer levels started to go down they don't know why it shouldn't have so they did a couple of radiation treatments.  For a year her cancer levels kept dropping and even looked like she was going to go into remission. She finally did have to slow down her work outs at the gym no matter how sick she was she could still kick anyone's butt on lifting weights and even walking on the tread mill. It broke my heart because she was never truly honest with her husband or her family with how bad everything was. Between me and Lyna we knew the whole story. Drell didn't want anyone to feel sorry for her or treat her any different.  She went in to the hospital they thought she had pneumonia and she passed away a week later, the Friday before she passed away she quit work. Her kidneys and everything were shutting down, the hardest part about it is that her husband didn't understand what was going on Drell said its not a big deal go to work I will be fine. Dave gets to the hospital and had to find out from the doctors how bad it really was with Drell. Drell didn't want anyone to see her in that way she wanted people to remember her how she used to be, she asked me to be "a bitch" to keep everyone out of her room. It was so hard to try and tell her aunts and cousins they can't come and say their goodbye's to her.  I am grateful that Raquel and her husband Jason came from Chicago and stayed same with her sister Loretta and her family came from California unfortunately her 2 brothers Anthony and Steve were not able to come to the hospital as they both lived out of state.   I still miss getting a phone call or text message from her. Saying we need to go get our nails done or lets go out to eat. Drell was much more then a friend to me she was part of my family. I know she is in a better place and my heart still aches for her. One day I will see her again.  I often think about why she asked me to go to the doctor with her when she found out she had cancer and not her family or even her husband. I was told that Drell knew that I am strong enough to handle this and be there for her.  I really wish I had that much strength and confidence in myself that she had in me. Drell I will miss you and love you forever, you will never be forgotten.