Sue Tsay 余秀美

🙏🙏🙏🪷

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=V1yIdpgq8W0

二月十七馬年元旦是妳的百日，也是升天遠離塵世之日。一路好走。來世再結緣。🩷🙏
February 17th, the New Year of the Horse, was your hundredth day—
and the day you ascended from this world. Farewell. May we be brought together again in another life. 🙏🪷

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=fAzVptIVw1Y&si=c3EJNRmdrRFbaoue

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=V1yIdpgq8W0

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=cIRZrb37Bjg

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=nVUHHW1tJYA

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=eIItJrTpYv0

新年了。不禁又回憶起在最後的日子裡，可以感覺到她是那根不一樣的風中燃燭，頑強地頂著強風繼續發著微光只是越來越弱。她雖然無法言語記憶力卻是很好仍然記著按時要餵食餵藥，每晚必看電視韓劇，其餘時間則看台灣網路新聞或打瞌睡。她常要我坐在她旁邊，我倆無言地握著手，不時捏著彼此的手心扣扣手指，她似乎在傳達她那最後一絲絲的滿意與愛意，我很驚訝察覺不到她的抱怨或痛苦。

她平時交流都是用手比劃或寫字，我也為她設計了幾個常用的手勢譬如餵食上廁所擦臉快點慢點大小多少等等。我還設計了一套彼此鼓勵的手勢：翻轉並上豎著大拇指，然後彼此緊扣其餘四指，互相用力按著彼此的大拇指，最後互相擊掌Hi Five🖐️👍🙌。她似乎對此感覺很好每次做時眼睛裏都露出靈魂之光精神為之一振。我們也經常為此行之不疲互相激勵。

記得那最令人唏噓感觸的是有次她在筆記本上寫下“感謝你對我的耐心，愛你”。我只能說“我應該的不客氣”。我事後回顧驚奇地發現為她做的一切自己心裡居然沒有一絲以前常有的埋怨嘮叨，我幫她如廁清潔每天換衣穿襪上下床半夜餵藥等等都是心甘情願居然不覺辛苦。只能說是老天替我安排的全時使命。每晚推她入房就寢前她都要在觀音菩薩像前作揖祈禱，只是我不知她在祈求什麼。

最後這段可謂日夜廝守的旅程應該是老天爺特地安排的再次“蜜月” “重聚” 與“戀愛”。感謝老天的恩賜能夠讓我心無旁鶩無後顧之憂地日夜陪伴守護在她身邊一起走完最後一程，直到她那最後輕聲呼喚我的名字到她床邊，她坐著等我似乎急著要告訴我菩薩在召喚她了，她做了個要走了的手勢拔掉氧氣管，然後就似無其事安靜地躺下閉上雙眼雙脣接受了菩薩的引領，任憑我多番嘗試急救也不能改變命運的安排與她當時的倔強，老天終於決定讓她脫離人世間的病痛開始另一段嶄新的修行旅程，同時體貼地安排她在愛人陪伴下安逸滿心地離開她一生全心全意所維護摯愛的家。

從發病治療到最後一次回鄉省親拜祖及多次醫生醫院的輾轉診治多次急救住院到安寧護療安排，尤其是的最後第二天的奇蹟出院返家，似乎一路走來冥冥中都有老天特意安排的痕跡，想必是她這一輩子平日做人行事盡心盡情盡義所得來的福報。願她在觀音菩薩的眷顧之下能夠無後顧之憂繼續她來世的修行。阿彌陀佛🙏🙏🙏🪷

It's New Year again. I can't help thinking of her final days and months, I could feel that she was like a candle unlike any other—burning in the wind, resolutely standing against fierce gusts, continuing to give off a fragile glow even as it grew steadily weaker. Though she could no longer speak, her memory remained remarkably sharp. She still remembered to be fed and to take her medicine on time, never missed her nightly Korean dramas, and spent the rest of her hours reading Taiwanese online news or dozing lightly.
She often asked me to sit beside her. We would sit together in silence, holding hands, gently squeezing each other’s palms, interlocking our fingers. It felt as though she was conveying the very last traces of her contentment and love through those quiet gestures. What surprised me most was that I sensed no complaint, no expression of pain—only peace.

In her daily life, she communicated through hand signs or writing. I designed several practical gestures for her—signals for eating, using the bathroom, wiping her face, faster or slower, bigger or smaller, more or less. I also created a special sequence of gestures just for encouragement: we would turn our hands, raise our thumbs, tightly interlock the other four fingers, press our thumbs firmly against each other, and finally finish with a joyful high five 🖐️👍🙌. She seemed to take great comfort in this ritual—each time we did it, a light would appear in her eyes, her spirit visibly lifted, her soul shining through. We never tired of it, constantly encouraging one another this way.

The moment that moved me most deeply was when she once wrote in her notebook:
“Thank you for your patience with me. I love you.”
All I could respond was, “It’s only what I should do.”
Looking back, I am astonished to realize that everything I did for her carried none of the resentment or complaining I might once have felt. Helping her use the bathroom, cleaning her, changing her clothes daily, putting on her socks, lifting her in and out of bed, waking in the middle of the night to give her medicine—every act was done willingly, without a sense of hardship. I can only say that this was a full-time mission heaven arranged for me.
Every night, before I wheeled her into the bedroom to rest, she would bow and pray before the image of Guanyin Bodhisattva. Yet I never knew exactly what she was praying for.

This final stretch—being together day and night—felt like something heaven had deliberately arranged: a second honeymoon, a reunion, a return to love itself. I am profoundly grateful for heaven’s grace, for allowing me to remain by her side without distraction or regret, to accompany and protect her through the final journey, until the very end.

That end came quietly. She softly called my name, asking me to come to her bedside. She was sitting up, waiting for me, as if eager to tell me that the Bodhisattva was calling her. She made a gesture to say she was leaving, removed her oxygen tube herself, then calmly lay down, closed her eyes and lips, and surrendered to the Bodhisattva’s guidance. No matter how desperately I tried to resuscitate her, fate could not be altered—nor could her resolve. Heaven had decided it was time for her to be freed from worldly suffering and to begin a new journey of cultivation. In its kindness, heaven also arranged for her to leave peacefully, content and fulfilled, in the home she had devoted her life to protecting and loving, with her beloved by her side.

From the onset of her illness and treatments, to her final return home to visit family and honor our ancestors; from countless hospital transfers, emergency rescues, and hospitalizations, to the eventual hospice care—especially the miraculous discharge home just two days before the end—it truly felt that every step was quietly guided by heaven’s hand. Surely, this was the blessing she earned through a lifetime of living with wholehearted sincerity, compassion, and righteousness.

May she, under the compassionate care of Guanyin Bodhisattva, continue her cultivation in the next life, free of all worries and attachments.
Amitabha. 🙏🙏🙏🪷

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=W1CPEq0UpRY&si=sUOUY9umQWp-99QS

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=nkzaMdWoqPU&si=trU13sTkGzdViJsC

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https://youtu.be/FMrNSp3tx0o?si=v52fAMb7CJC3pcbN

Today is the final seventh-day memorial for Sue (the last day of the 49-day period).

At the temple, we offered the final seventh-day meal, and all the children of the family gathered to respectfully escort her ashes to a green burial site in Northern California—a quiet forested area nestled against mountains and by the sea, a place she loved during her lifetime, where one can watch the ocean waves, listen to the sound of the tides, and gaze toward her homeland across the Pacific.

Sue's friends and colleagues all loved her very much because she was extremely kind to others and always enthusiastic about helping people.

On behalf of the Tsai's family, I also wish to express our gratitude for Sue's lifelong wholehearted devotion, love, and righteousness in supporting the household, as well as her selfless sacrifices and contributions.

We are very fortunate that in her final days, Sue was cared for by an excellent team of doctors and a top-tier hospital, which minimized her suffering, along with the attentive care from her family. She often felt content and gratitude in her heart. In the end, she was able to pass away peacefully and without any worries, following Guanyin Bodhisattva. The funeral master also confirmed that, due to Sue's virtues and good karma, she has been reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, so everyone can find peace in their hearts. Here, let us together pray for Sue 🙏 Amitabha Buddha 🙏 🪷

今天是秀美的終七（七七四十九天的最後一天），在廟裏供奉了終七飯，全家兒女們一起恭送伴隨秀美骨灰至北加州的自有地綠葬，一個秀美生前喜歡的臨山傍海的安靜林區，可以看海浪聽濤聲並眺望太平洋彼岸的故鄉。

秀美的好友同事們也都很喜歡她因為秀美待人非常友善而且非常熱心助人。我也代表蔡家感恩秀美一輩子的盡心盡情盡義地持家及無私的犧牲奉獻。

很慶幸地秀美在最後的日子裏有很好的醫生群及頭等醫院照料將痛苦減至最低，還有家人的細心照料，秀美經常自覺滿意而心存感恩，最後也能安詳無慮地跟隨觀音菩薩離世。葬儀法師也確認秀美的福德福報往生前去了極樂淨土，大家也可寬心。我們在此一起為秀美祈禱🙏阿彌陀佛🙏🪷

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=a_8fUGc3tfc&si=G5ds-AExSC6gerZT

Be open-minded and enjoy a better life. ☕🌞

https://youtu.be/VaVC3PAWqLk?si=XW1uOGE40MC3KrzV

https://foundationformetaboliccancertherapies.com/?option=com_jdonation&view=donation&campaign_id=1&Itemid=104&utm_medium=marketing&_branch_match_id=link-1381947598537136822&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTzcqzTHQSywo0MvJzMvWLy3y83J1Ci1N80%2ByrytKTUstKsrMS49PKsovL04tsnXOKMrPTQUAscj9NTwAAAA%3D

Nice to know.
臺北榮民總醫院 重粒子及放射腫瘤部 https://share.google/w7HnNHe3HKSeyhQ4g

The last Christmas before the Final Departure. 💐🪷🙏

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=2aiPuUwMFRo&si=GJldBTcEirH1b2Y-

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=W1CPEq0UpRY&si=lJnjKdaLDJBmL3iH

🙏🙏🩷🩷

https://youtu.be/riYqJkzGHBI?si=orEy0s8zIVExn7OB

https://youtu.be/8y-BkCcDfdg?si=-flv0tpqfpn3YYuz

In her final days even months, no groaning, no whining, no complaining, no depressing, only resolving to keep fighting and living, just hoping to stay with her beloved family one more day.
在最後的日子裏，她沒有呻吟，抱怨，絕望，只有旺盛的求生意志，希望與她所愛的家人多留一天。💕🩷

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=3pM_WYb30n4&si=-Cs7VUM3ldirQwUw

Relief, Rejoice, Rebirth back to that transquil peaceful pure land, The Heaven. 💕🪷

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=3g8vzpBhXCA&si=_pUeDaXO4bXA9usZ

🩷💕🪷
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=eT6P3pReyR0&si=VlR_bbpv74kztVSZ

秀美是一位很樂觀、活潑、開朗的人，臉上的笑容永不間斷，本來說好回台灣相聚的，竟然爽約了，很是遺憾。
你們父子女都要好好保重自己，她才能在天堂放心。

Sue, was an amazing person she always had a smile on her face. I worked with her for a short time but I felt I knew her for a lifetime. I can say she was one proud mom. May her soul rest in paradise.

My sincerest condolences to the family.I feel like I know you well already because when we are at work she talks so highly about you Cherielynn and Clarence.May your happy memories help you get through this difficult time

My condolences to your family. I have worked with Sue and I appreciated her professionalism. She will be missed

So sorry for your loss. Your mom was a very special person indeed. She will be missed. 💕

I worked weekends with your mom at Regional Medical Center. I worked Labor and Delivery and she NICU. We had lunch together and she would talk about her family. She was so proud of you all! ♥️ I’m so sorry for your loss and 🙏 pray for peace and comfort as you grieve your strong, courageous and lovely Mom. May she rest in peace.

Your Mom was such a sweetheart . I always enjoyed working with her . Blessings to you and your family .😢❤️

My deepest condolence to you and your family. She will be missed. May her soul rest in peace 🙏🏼🙏🏼

She was a wonderful person, and I enjoyed working with her 💕

Having worked with Sue, I will always be inspired by her positive energy, her smile, her willingness to always help, her caring & kindhearted spirit, and her natural ability to always make you smile and laugh. I am truly blessed to have worked with such a wonderful person for about 6 years.

May your love & memories for such an amazing wife, mother, and friend comfort you and bring a smile to your face!

With Warmth & Hugs,
Lori L

My deepest condolences to you + family. I had worked alongside with Sue for over 20 years at Regional, she was a good friend, and was always happy to share her knowledge with her co-workers. I will miss Sue dearly. I hope in time, peace + comfort will heal your hears.

Love,
Ellen

My sincere condolences. May perpetual lights shine upon Sue, may she rest in peace.

Sue was a wonderful friend and will be dearly missed. I’ll always be grateful for her kindness — she, Cliff, and their daughter even supported us by letting Cherrylyn be our flower girl.

May she rest in peace, and may God’s mercy and peace comfort the family.

I loved Sue. I have worked with her since 1990. Hugs to all the family

I'm so sorry to hear this sad news. Sue was always such a vibrant person, and a pleasure to work with. My heart goes out to the family. She will be missed. 💕💐

Sue had such a great work ethic & was really good at her job! I will truly miss such a wonderful person. My thoughts & prayers r w/u all ❤️

My condolences to you and the whole family. Sue was a wonderful person. She will be missed. May her soul rest in peace!

Even though we all have to go and move on at some point, aunti Sue passed way too young and I am so heart broken. Our world lost a shinning star this week and I hope she knew how much she was loved and adored. She was kind, loving, always had that infectious laught regardless of the circumstances. Even though we didn’t meet up often, it was never awkward becasue she always made you feel so warm and loved. If I had known her condition was so dire, I would have reached out more often. I was going through our text exchanges earlier and I still couldn’t believe she is now with the angels . Aunti Sue, you will be dearly missed and I will treasure my memory of you for as long as I live.

Holding Cherie and Michael, Clarence and Natalie and Cliff close in our heart as you honor your mom’s memory. She leaves behind a family filled with the love, strength, and values she poured into each of you. May her spirit continue to guide and comfort you all in the days ahead.

愛妻秀美於十一月九號加州時間上午七時四十五分於聖荷西家中安祥仙逝，享壽六十九，兒女全家隨侍在旁。秀美每日必早晚禮佛她臥房外的觀世音數月未間斷，今晨也已由觀音菩薩領往西方極樂淨土，不再有病痛折磨。我深感遺憾未能按原訂計劃今年帶秀美回老家向諸親友問安。

秀美三年多來一直與癌病魔纏鬥，發現時已由腹部腫瘤擴散至肺，然而秀美一直頑強堅決地對抗，展現她一貫的堅毅不服輸性格，一直到三周前被診斷確定已擴散至骨髓成為最兇猛的急性骨髓白血症，醫生判斷可能只有數天至數月時間，這也是最後一根壓倒秀美的稻草。秀美於上上週六緊急住院，醫生盡力穩定病情至可以於上週五出院回家，也是秀美的願望，悲痛之餘也慶幸秀美能依所願在家中安逸地歸西，也許是觀音菩薩的特別安排。每次出院秀美總是說回家真好。秀美走時沒有痛苦憂鬱因為她這三年來熬過並依願完成參加兒子與女兒的婚禮，也算大功告成無憾而終只可惜無緣與明年將至的孫女續緣。

秀美與我過洋來美44年奮鬥，經過起伏跌宕算是小有成就，秀美一直是一心為家大小裡外打拼甚至遠超過我而無不及。我為她感恩也惋惜，祈願來生再結連理，也願她在天之靈眷顧大家。

My beloved Hsiu Mei,

It is with profound sorrow that I record your peaceful departure on November 9th, at 7:45 in the morning, California time, in the quiet sanctuary of our San Jose home. You were 69 years of age, and our children and the entire family were at your side, offering our devoted presence in your final moments. For months, without interruption, you had maintained your daily rituals of morning and evening devotion before the statue of Guanyin outside your bedroom. On this morning, it is my solemn belief that the compassionate Bodhisattva guided your spirit to the Western Pure Land, where you are now free from all earthly afflictions and suffering.

I carry a deep sense of regret that we were unable to fulfill our planned journey this year, returning to our ancestral home to pay respects to relatives and friends. Such was our shared intention, a modest obligation left unheeded by circumstance.

Over the past three and a half years, you confronted the relentless advance of cancer with unwavering resolve. It began as a tumor in the abdomen, progressing to the lungs, yet you met each challenge with the steadfast determination that defined your character. Even when, three weeks prior, the diagnosis confirmed its spread to the bone marrow as acute myeloid leukemia—the most severe form—prognostications of mere days or months remaining proved the final burden upon your endurance. You were admitted to the hospital in urgency the Saturday before last; through the physicians' diligent efforts, your condition was stabilized sufficiently for discharge the following Friday, in accordance with your expressed wish to return home. Amid this grief, there is quiet consolation in knowing you departed as you desired, in the familiar comfort of our dwelling—perhaps a merciful arrangement by Guanyin herself. Upon each prior return, you would remark with simple gratitude, "How good it is to be home."

Your passing was without distress or melancholy, a testament to the trials you had endured and the aspirations you fulfilled. Over these years, you persevered to witness the weddings of our son and daughter, honoring those sacred family milestones as you had vowed. In this, your life concluded with fulfillment, bearing no unresolved burdens, save for the poignant circumstance that you shall not meet our granddaughter, expected in the coming year.

For forty-four years since our arrival in America, we labored together through trials and triumphs, achieving a measure of stability and accomplishment. Throughout, you were the unyielding foundation of our household, tending to every need within and without—often with greater diligence than I could muster. I am eternally grateful for your sacrifices and contributions, while lamenting the brevity of our shared path. May we be reunited in the next life, bound once more in matrimonial harmony, and may your spirit from the heavens continue to watch over our family with gentle guardianship.

With enduring respect and affection,
Your devoted husband

In memory of Sue Tsay

Mama Sue 🥹 — she truly was like a mom to all of us. She loved what she did, and it showed in everything she touched. Over the years we worked together, she taught me so much and brought joy to every shift we shared. Whenever Sue was around, there was always laughter, warmth, and a sense of ease that only she could create. I will miss everything about Sue Tsay, and I’m so grateful for the time I had with her. You will never know how much of an impact you’ve had on my nursing career and life. Thank you for everything 🥹

One of my favorite memories with my mom was our trip to Seattle and Vancouver in 2023. I’m so grateful we had that time, just the two of usexploring, laughing, and sharing moments I’ll hold forever. This trip was actually her idea. She wanted to go somewhere beautiful but not too far, something we could enjoy together despite her condition. It ended up being the perfect choice.

In Seattle, we wandered through the Chihuly Glass Garden, rode up the Space Needle, and explored Pike Place Market. We shared a chowder sampler at Pike Place Chowder, and she kept saying how fun it was to try all the flavors together. We also visited the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, where we enjoyed lattes and split a caprese sandwich—one of those simple but cozy moments that felt so “us.” At the pier by the Great Wheel, we sat on a bench to enjoy the view—and she literally fell asleep next to me. It made me laugh then, and it still makes me smile now.

We took the Amtrak to Vancouver, where we biked around Stanley Park and took what felt like a million photos. We visited the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, wandered downtown, and bought matching red Canada sweaters. And one of my favorite memories was after dinner one night—our Uber was five minutes away, and my mom suddenly spotted an ice cream shop around the corner. Without hesitation, she decided she needed a cup of chocolate ice cream. I was stressed the driver would leave us, but she came back beaming, holding her ice cream like it was the best idea she’d had all day. And honestly… it kind of was.

This was a trip she chose, a trip she wanted, and a trip we both needed more than we realized. These memories feel even more precious now. I’m grateful we had this trip, this adventure, this moment in time that was ours. I’ll hold it close forever.

我和媽媽最珍貴的回憶之一，是我們在 2023 年一起去西雅圖和溫哥華的旅程。我非常感恩能有那段時光，只有我們母女倆，一起探索、一起歡笑、一起分享那些我一輩子都會珍藏的片刻。其實這趟旅行是媽媽提議的。她想去一個美麗但不太遠的地方，即使在她的身體狀況下，我們仍能一起好好享受。結果這真是一個最完美的選擇。

在西雅圖，我們漫步在奇胡利玻璃花園，登上太空針塔，也在派克市場四處走逛。我們一起在 Pike Place Chowder 分享了一份巧達湯試吃組合，她一直說著，能一起品嚐不同口味真的很有趣。我們還去了 Starbucks Reserve 烘焙工坊，一起喝拿鐵、分食一份卡布里沙拉三明治——簡單卻溫馨，是屬於我們的小幸福。在大摩天輪附近的碼頭，我們坐在長椅上欣賞風景，結果她就在我身旁睡著了。那一刻讓我大笑，如今回想起來仍會讓我微笑。

我們搭乘 Amtrak 到溫哥華，騎單車環繞史丹利公園，拍了彷彿數不清的照片。我們去了孫中山古典中式花園，在市中心散步，還買了同款的紅色加拿大外套。另一段讓我特別難忘的回憶是，有一天晚餐後，我們等 Uber 時，媽媽突然看到轉角有一家冰淇淋店。她毫不猶豫地說她想吃巧克力冰淇淋，然後就衝去買，而我們的車只剩五分鐘就到了。我當下超級緊張怕司機離開，但她回來時笑容滿面，手上捧著冰淇淋，好像那是她當天做過最棒的決定。說實話……確實如此。

這是她選擇的旅程，是她想要的旅程，也是我們當時比自己意識到的更需要的一趟旅程。如今，這些回憶更加珍貴。我很感恩能有這段旅行、這場冒險、這段屬於我們的時光。我會永遠珍藏在心中。

Mama Sue was the best work mom any new nurse could ask for. When I first began my nursing career, she guided me with patience, encouragement, and so much laughter. She taught me, supported me, and brightened even the hardest days. I’ll always hold onto the knowledge she shared and the memories we made—there were so many moments filled with laughter. Working with her was truly a joy, and any day we were roomies was a good one.

Thank you for everything, Mama Sue. Please rest easy now.