About an hour after I posted about Gson's birthday party, I was ready to go to take D out to lunch. (She's the friend who's husband was in hospice.) Before I left the house, I called her office and I was told that she had left. When I reached her, she told me that the doctor had called to tell her that Doug's oxygen level was dropping rapidly. That could only mean one thing.
My husband and I went to the hospital as soon as he came home. I didn't really know what to expect but I just knew that I had to be there for D. She is one of those people that you can't help but love, and she has always been there when I needed someone to lean on or confide in.
When we arrived, Doug's family was there and D was crying and holding Doug's hand. He was in a coma by then and on oxygen; his breathing very labored. The doctors told us that he would not see the next day.
D came around and started talking about fun things that we had all done together and times that we remembered. There was a bulletin board with pictures of all of their trips; more fun remembering. Our best memory was of our trip to Italy last year.
After a couple of hours (which seemed like days), we said goodbye to Doug. I kissed him and told him I loved him. I would never forget him.
He held on until noon the next day...8-8-08....the Chinese 'lucky' day. Doug would be amused by this; he was always trying to Feng Shui something (or someone) and consulting our "I Ching'.
Doug was one of the most interesting and fun people I have ever known...he will certainly be missed by many.
"There's no way around grief and loss: you can dodge all you want, but sooner or later you just have to go into it, through it, and hopefully come out the other side. The world you find there will never be the same as the world you left."Johnny Cash
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