Goofynina's Family

[okarol]

I received a note from Susie's niece on myspace:


Hi Karol
It is me Joanna, Susies niece. I would just like to thank you on behalf of my family for your support. It was very nice meeting you and the others that came with you to say goodbye to my Tia. You and the rest of the IHD Family meant so much to her and I am so glad that there are groups like IHD to help those in need to talk to others going through similar situations. I hope you and the rest of the IHD fam know how much you all meant to my aunt. She loved to talk about you all and tell us what great people this group has. So again thank you all so much for being there for my aunt in ways that we could not, you all understand each other so well. Please thank the rest of the IHD Fam for me especially those who came with you. She loved you all so much. I also logged on to IHD and read all the great wonderful things said about her. Please thank everyone and let them know what you all meant to her. Thank you again and please feel free to keep in touch and check on my grandma, she would like to hear from you. God Bless You, your daughter and the rest of the Fam.
Joanna

[Sluff]

Thank you for sharing this Karol and Joanna thank you for taking the time to read through all the posts and writing karol.

[MyssAnne]

We can see where Susie got her big heart from, her mother sounds like an exceptional lady!  Joanna sounds like a wonderful
niece, one any aunt would be proud to claim!!

[petey]

Like Goofy, like niece.   

Thanks for sharing that, Karol.

[willieandwinnie]

  Okarol. That was really very nice of her. 

[Mimi]

I know they are all missing their Tia.  Thanks Karol.

Love, Mimi

[Amanda From OZ]

Thanks for sharing that K.

[paris]

Lovely letter, Karol.  This is such an amazing family. They are all so connected and share such a wonderful love. And they all loved Susie!

[Joe Paul]

Thankyou for sharing Karol 

[okarol]

I went up to Fresno to drive my son to skateboard camp yesterday (in the mountains east of there) so I had a chance to meet with Sam and Susie's family.

Sam is doing ok and looking forward to going to IHD meet up in Vegas. Of course, the last few months have been very tough for him. He's doing better now but after spending 22 years with Susie, since he was 17 years old, it's been a difficult adjustment. He says he sometimes wakes up and realizes he's alone, and he still isn't used to that. He took me to visit the niche at the cemetery where Susie's ashes are entombed. It's a really pleasant place and I will post a photo when I get a chance. He also kept some ashes in an urn at home, and so did Susie's mom, so she's still with family too. Sam said that maybe his sister and brother-in-law would come to Vegas.

Susie's mom Mary is the sweetest person you could ever meet. She started crying when she saw me, and of course I cried right along with her. She says she thinks of Susie all the time, and she still get emotional. I told her it's only been 5 months, and that losing someone who she was so close to is not going to feel normal for a long time. Susie's sister Terrie and her husband John had us at their home and we all had dinner together. Susie's brother John (yes, there are 2 John's) and his wife have a 9 week old baby named Sam (for - you guessed it!) They said Susie's would have just loved this baby, she was such a proud aunt and godmother, and the kids all adored her. I took a photo of their family and will also try to get that on here soon.

Mary said she would like to come to Vegas too, if she's up for it. Terrie and John aid they would bring her if she wants. It would be so wonderful if they could come - I hope they decide to. I am going to send them all the information.

I am not sure if I mentioned before, but Mary often got confused about members of IHD's names - Susie always laughed when her mom would call someone by the wrong name. She had me cracking up when she asked how Sludge was doing, and for me to give her love to Kitty and Hector, and that she knows how much Susie loved Repoman.  She did get Paris and Vandie's names right!

It's such a powerful bond, because we know how much Goofynina loved her family, and her family knows how much Goofynina loved her IHD family too. 

[Rerun]

That was awesome Kaorl.  I'm so glad you took the time to meet up with them I know Susie was there laughing her ass off.  I miss her so much.  Thanks again! ~ 

                                                                           

[kitkatz]

I am so pleased Victor and I are now known as Kitty and Hector!  Hehehehee! 

[Sluff]

I'm jealous but I am so glad you were able to meet up with them all. Sounds like they were just as happy to see you.

[willieandwinnie]

  Karol.

[paris]

Okarol,  Thank you for sharing your day with Susie's family.  They are an incredible family.   Mary can call us anything she wants, just so she calls us famlly!!   I was in tears reading your posts until I got to the part about the names--then I was laughing out loud.   Sludge and Repoman    I am amazed she knows so many by name.  Kitty and Hector-- that is so sweet.  It shows how much she talked about IHD to her family.  I hope they will be in Vegas.  It will be good to see Sam again.  He gives the best hugs

[Meinuk]

Karol, thank you for keeping in touch with everyone.  Some days, I feel like Susie would be pissed at me for not reaching out to her family, but I am not really up to it.  And "Sludge", well, that is hysterical.  When you write about that, I feel like Susie is right here laughing along with us.

[vandie]

Thank you for keeping us updated.  Her family is ours and i am so pleased that you were able to see them.

xoxo

[Rerun]

I'm hoping that I'm the "Re" in Repoman??   

[Bajanne]

This is so precious!  Thanks for sharing, Karol.  Bad moment for me though.  I am using the computer at a summer camp for kids at this moment.  I am sure they don't understand why that lady is crying and then laughing and then crying and then laughing!! 
I feel so close to her family. After all, Susie was my special girlfriend.
Really looking forward to Vegas even more!!!
(I'm sorry, but I still hope it was just a big IHD joke, and I will see Susie sailing in there, purple boa and all!)

[okarol]

Here are photos from the visit with Susie's family:
1. The cemetery
2. Goofynina's final resting place
3. Sam
4. Her family
5. Me and her mom Mary
6. Sam and their new nephew "baby Sam"

[paris]

Great pictures, but I am now wiping away tears.   She touched our lives so much and I will always be grateful for meeting her.          Thanks for sharing the pictures, Okarol. I am looking forward to seeing Sam again in Vegas.

[Bajanne]

Paris, you said it all for me.  Once again I am not in the optimum place for looking at pictures like this.  I am right now on dialysis, hoping the nurses don't see me wiping away tears and think I am in a critical state!
Thanks, Okarol!

[okarol]

I wrote Susie's niece about Las Vegas and feeling Susie's presence the whole time. Here's her note:

Oct 17, 2008 1:10 PM
Hello Karol. As I sit here in tears I am happy to know that my tia was there. I KNEW she would be. Her birthday is coming and I dont know how to get through it. Not only her birthday, BUT THE HOLIDAYS! You know how much they meant to her. Holidays was a time for family and friends, and we all know how much they/we meant to her. I miss her so much and each and every day is a struggle. Exp. when my middle (JayLynn) comes and wants to sing "You are my Sunshine" because she knows that was mine and my tias song. I'm not sure if she ever told u about our song but she sang it to me when I was a baby and when I started talking I sang it to her up until the day she passed. Now everytime I hear it or sing it I remember all of us gathered around her bed singing as she lay there. So how was the trip? How is your daughter doing and the rest of the IHD Family? i hope all is well. You know something funny. I was sitting in the dr. office with my daughter this morning and started thinking of you and wanting to get in touch with you to see how things are going. And to my surprise, i find your comment when I log on. Thank you Karol for being such a sweet and caring person. My tia always had such a GREAT judge of character.

[paris]

What a nice note.  Of course, it has me in tears again.   Thank you, Okarol, for sharing it with us.

[okarol]

From Susie's niece:

Date: Jan 17, 2009 5:36 PM
We are all doing good. Well, the holidays were VERY difficult and I'm not sure if my Tio Sam told you, but my Tio John was diagnosed with prostate cancer. However, on Dec.12 his prostate was removed and doc says that he is cancer free! WOW was 2008 a difficult one. The loss my my tia, then my grandpa in June and my tio diagnosed in Oct I believe. But as of today my grandma  is at my tio johns as well as my mom and tio sam for baby Samuels baptism.(Baby Sam is my Tio Johns son.) They promised that to my tia sue. He was the brightness of 2008. I will deff. send my grandma your love. She thinks about you and all my tias IHD family a lot. As well as I do. Every time I hear about a kidney patient I tell them about the IHD fam. I cant help but to love all you guys for all you did and continue to do. May i ask how someone becomes a IHD member. My friends brother in-law has kidney failure and is going through a  rough time, and told my friend about your group. If he wont look at least his wife can learn more. Thank you Karol and best wishes and much love for you and your this year.