---

From: rboddie@...
Sent: 11/3/2009 1:43:37 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: My Ann

 

Mike,

Though you don't know her, you do know me....

As of today my bride is on a respirator and it is keeping her alive
so her sister Edith can see her (and vice versa) before she passes
on. Edith has never been to California in all of our years here. She
and sister Gwen, who has been a rock for us in this challenge over the
past year and a half, will be here on Saturday, and then we'll release
Ann to eternity. It's quite sad, but it's been coming for many months
now. I am so thankful for the time to prepare for this and consciously
cherish our life together since February or so. Absent pain, which she
was, slow is far more acceptable to me than fast.

She took a turn for the worse Friday, the day after her 68th birthday.
We all had a chance to be with her on Thursday at the Manor Care
nursing home, but the next day when I arrived after they changed her to
a long term care room form the rehab room she had been in since 10/10,
I knew she was not well.  Her breathing was really labored and she had
a high fever, so I asked to have her taken back to the Orange Coast
Memorial Hospital in Fountain Valley where she had been from 10/5 to
10/10 due
to inability to walk at all (even with the walker she had been using
since July), severe short term memory loss, and possibly several recent
undetected mini seizures we were told later, which had apparently been
going on for a few weeks before.

So that's the latest, and I felt the need to share this with our many
dear friends, family, neighbors and any who might care or be
interested.  And again so sad, but as I say, it's real life.

Our daughters and their family have been just amazing in their
approach, thoughtfulness, commitment, insights and all during these
trying times. But all of their lives Ann and I held family meetings
when we had big issues that effected the five of us, and that is
proving to be a real positive now.

Thankfully Ann and I have had over 50 years together, and so many
memories and all to cherish.

Dick