Sad

[Falkenbach]

I thought I'd posted this already, but it doesn't seem to be here - I am in a distracted state of mind, so who knows what I did?!

Yesterday I got the shocking news that a close friend of mine died in hospital during yesterday morning.

She was only 36 years old. She suffered a rare condition called Wegeners Disease -only about 2 cases per year are treated in Adelaide. She was extremely ill a year or so ago, and had 1/2 a lung removed in addition to some other operations.

For some time now she had been doing really well. Then, the day before yesterday, she went into hospital with pneumonia. She seemed to be stabilising at first, in the ICU. I received the call a few hours after lunch to say she was gone.

I'm feeling kind of numb.

[Ohio Buckeye]

I am so sorry for your loss.
May God comfort you and her loved ones.

[Amanda From OZ]

I am so sorry to hear of your loss.

Prayers for you and her family. 

[anja]

 Cycobully, what a shock to have lost a close friend, and so young too!       Stay strong and try to realize from her perspective, she is no longer in pain...      

[Sluff]

  She is in a much better place 

I am sorry for your loss.

[Falkenbach]

Amanda, what a shock to have lost a close friend, and so young too!       Stay strong and try to realize from her perspective, she is no longer in pain...      

My name is Louise  - but thank you for your kind words. Jay certainly did suffer with this awful disease, even though she had been doing so well lately.

(p.s. I've put in a sig now)

[goofynina]

Louise,  Just letting you know you have my sympathy, i (we) too are suffering a loss of a wonderful friend, you are not alone.  Take care my friend and keep on keepin' on... 

[charee]

So sorry for your loss

[kitkatz]

When friends go it is very sad.
I am wishing you some confort and peace as you grieve.

[Joe Paul]

Sorry to hear about your loss..my condolences to you.

[George Jung]

Loosing someone we care about is undoubtedly a tough thing to go through.  Try reflecting back to the time you shared and be emotional if that is what you feel.  Your friend would want you to remember the time you had and to know you made each other happy.  May peace be with you and those who know your friend.

[Falkenbach]

Thank you everybody. I expect the funeral to be Monday, but I'll get more info on that soon. We will be having our bull terriers at the funeral, too, as Jay was another bull terrier fanatic along with the rest of our group of friends.

[nextnoel]

I'm so sorry for your loss - my prayers go out to all those grieving - you, her family & other friends.

[Falkenbach]

I feel silly, I got her age wrong. She was 38. Still far too young, either way.

I remember going to her 35th birthday party, and I didn't think it was that long ago. 

[Falkenbach]

Okay, I am attending the viewing in a couple of hours from now. And the funeral tomorrow morning.

Jay's mother (she was an adopted child) is Japanese, so Jay will be in full traditional Japanese dress for the viewing this afternoon. Tomorrow, we are having a guard of honour made up of bull terriers, which I am taking part in. My bully Dorothy has been scrubbed clean and tonight will also be getting her nails trimmed and an extra conditioning/deodorising.

[Deanne]

I'm sorry. That sounds so inadequate for the shock and sadness you're probably feeling right now. I hope that in time happy memories fill in some of the space taken up by sadness right now.

[goofynina]

Just so you know Cycobully, all our prayers are with you

[Falkenbach]

Thanks everybody. The viewing yesterday, despite the tears it brought on, was nice. She looked relaxed and peaceful, and I put a white carnation in with her.

The funeral today was a bit harder, actually. But I held up much better than I expected, even though I cried off every last trace of eye make up. Dorothy (my bull terrier) stood in the guard of honour line - all the bullies behaved well and considering how long we stood there and waited not many of them got restless or overly playful (bull terriers are like toddlers).

Anyway, that's one of the hard parts out the way. Now we need to make sure to keep providing support for Jay's partner who is left behind alone. They didn't have children or anything.

[nextnoel]

Congrats on getting through all the services so well - I know you're hurting terribly, but Jay must have been awfully pleased you and Dorothy were there for her.  I hope you can find comfort now; you're in my prayers.   , as is her partner.

[Falkenbach]

I seem to have come crashing down today. I don't know how much of it is just me being unwell, or how much of it is Jay's death - perhaps a bit of both. But it occurred to me after I had an inexplicably huge bawl, that it really has been a hell of a week. The death, the viewing, the funeral. And now that they're over, down I go. Like a bag of spuds.

All I want to do is cry. I think I'll be okay tomorrow though.

[nextnoel]

Bawl away!  It'll make you feel better, it'll help you start recovering from your loss, and besides, it's appropriate - your world has changed, and it shouldn't just be "business as usual".  Dealing with sadness and grief is a good thing, and absolutely necessary.  Remember, we're here for you!

[Falkenbach]

Aw you people are awesome. I'm actually a bit surprised at how overwhelming the sadness is, but I realise there's a lot tied in with that. It's the loss of a good friend, first and foremost, as well as the fact that she was so young, the fact that she never had a bad word to say about anybody or anything, the fact that she NEVER complained during such a serious and lengthy illness, the fact that she had basically recovered and was getting better when suddenly struck down - and the fact that I am also a young person with a serious illness comes into play as well (tho I'm certainly not as ill as she was).

I realise this is all part of a healthy grieving process, but I wasn't ready for the big crash that came on Friday, the day after the funeral. I haven't experienced this before. Everything obviously caught up at once and BANG - I went crashing.

The support of you guys, and the fact that I feel comfortable posting this here when I'm still a newbie, is really important. 

[Sluff]

Aw you people are awesome. I'm actually a bit surprised at how overwhelming the sadness is, but I realise there's a lot tied in with that. It's the loss of a good friend, first and foremost, as well as the fact that she was so young, the fact that she never had a bad word to say about anybody or anything, the fact that she NEVER complained during such a serious and lengthy illness, the fact that she had basically recovered and was getting better when suddenly struck down - and the fact that I am also a young person with a serious illness comes into play as well (tho I'm certainly not as ill as she was).

I realise this is all part of a healthy grieving process, but I wasn't ready for the big crash that came on Friday, the day after the funeral. I haven't experienced this before. Everything obviously caught up at once and BANG - I went crashing.

The support of you guys, and the fact that I feel comfortable posting this here when I'm still a newbie, is really important. 

You are not a newbie anymore.

We are always here for you.

[goofynina]

Cycobully?  Girlfriend?  Havent you noticed?  You had US at "Hello"  We've been here for you all along, we were just waiting for ya,  and now look, you found us just in time   So happy to have you as part of the Family 

[Falkenbach]