Grateful Dead

Absolutely he hung on riggsjr.You are very lucky that he was surrounded by the ones who loved him in his final moments. Its a huge comfort for the soul after death. For the last images and sensations to be so full of love and compassion in those hours, minutes and seconds before the journey into another realm is so deeply powerful, so precious, that we won't fully comprehend until it's our turn, should we be so fortunate. For me to witness my Dad laughing with a throaty cough on the morning of the day he died, at a perfectly cheesy joke, when he was obviously deeply uncomfortable and wanting to pass over because the pain was too much to take was a blessing i never take lightly. Sometimes i forget, like you do when life continues and the years roll by, but then when it suddenly hits you like a lightning bolt, and they speak to you in your dreams, those tears come from the very pit of your stomach and make you realise that you were a part in something that others only dream of. We are indeed extremely lucky.

I lost my Dad 8 years ago. While he was in hospital and after we had been told to expect the worst at any time,I had to attend a meeting 70 miles away ( a sales meeting which the company refused to release me from), I asked the guy in charge of the meeting if I could leave my mobile on vibrate and explained my circumstances, to be told all mobiles must be switched off. When the meeting ended and as I was leaving the building I switched on my phone to see 23 missed calls/messages. It turns out my boss, secretary, wife and sister had been phoning from around half an hour after the start of the meeting to say my Dad had taken a turn for the worse and the end was very near. Luckily after a frantic drive I managed to get to the hospital around 20-30 minutes before my dad passed away, so was with him at the end. However when I think of the anguish and frustration my Mother, sister and wife were put through as they frantically tried to get a hold of me I still feel very bitter that one individual caused them additional grief due to his lack of compassion. On the brighter side, I always try to take something good from what life throws at me, and I truly believe my Dad hung on until I could be with him and share his final moments which I still treasure to this day.

Spare a thought for many people today - Including the families with small children that died in a cruiser accident on the River Volga in Russia yesterday. Looks positively awful. The victims of the train crash in Fatephur, India. And the recent severe drought in East Africa. Yep, it's the poor who suffer again. We don't know how lucky we are.....

it do....it surely do....

so sorry, both of you.

((HUGS)) Johnman! And I get impatient with myself for still hurting so for my Dad after 7 months********************************** I am not young enough to know everything. Oscar Wilde

It was a tumor that got my mom...they tried to cut it out, but that just woke it up, and made it grow. I went home on emergency leave for the surgery, missing a Garcia show onboard the carrier I was assigned to, but it was weeks later that we lost her. I never did get to say goodbye, though I know she's watchin' out for me. It's been almost 25 years and it still hurts... I expect it always will.....

Yes it was johnman, don't lie!!!!!! Ha ha!!! I know what you mean about missing a parent; i lost my Dad to cancer in 2004. I was at work when i got the phone call. Managed to see him that morning too and told him a joke. Was hallucinating through a Dick's Picks at the time; worked out that the moment he died was just as "Looks Like Rain" started. It sure did Dad, it sure did... But, they've only left the physical plane; sometimes no consolation when you wake up at 2.00am hurting, but they ARE all around us. We just have to readjust our vision; it's time for the peripheral to become our main means of focus; the sidereal our ability to see. Still wish he was here though.....

I wanna take her to a show...Mom, ya shouldn't have left so young. Ya didn't meetcher grandson, even....if you were still here, I know my family would not have imploded (or deploded, or hexplowdid, or.....or.... whatever).....Dang it, Mom......just plain MISS you.....aLOT.

It was to the spammer whom dear marye sent to spamhell, where all good (huh?) spammers go. Golly.....I'm not a hassshoe....jeeebers....yek ek ek ek ek ek ek....(popeye laff)..rarrarrf!!! wagwagwag