Not long after my brother was born, my mom started showing signs of a lung condition called emphysema. Although she was never a heavy smoker, somehow exposure to cigarette smoke - combined with a congenital sensitivity - brought on the condition.

My mom managed to conceal her illness for many years, until it got serious enough that exposure to regular flu germs could lead to a pneumonia infection for her.

One of the things she did to work out her feelings about her condition was to quilt. She'd always been a skilled seamstress, but she said that the detail-oriented work of quilting helped her to focus on something else for a while. She made beautiful quilts and joined a group where they held friendly competitions and dreamed up elaborate projects.

This one was created for a Christmas theme. She was showing it to her quilting group when this photo was taken.