My friend took his last breath at 9:27 a.m. this morning. His son and I bathed and dressed him in real clothes like he used to wear and after all had said goodbye two sons, a step-daughter's boyfriend and step daughter carried him to his car. We brought him down in the front seat of his car, it was hard for me to get his feet in but we did it. We drove to the crematorium and his son screwed the screws into the hand-made wooden coffin for cremation. We kissed him and left him safely tucked in and ready for his next journey. He was unconscious since thurs night and he held on forever. We slept on the floor in his bedroom and off and on in his bed when his wife was not in it. We had a chorus of snoring and no room to walk and despite the fact that thurs was horrid suffering, I do believe he had a good death and that as tired as I am having been there since Tues, it was what needed to happen.

I am exhausted, need to work tomorrow. We were and are all relieved but the reality has not yet struck. Moments of intense sadness with punch drunk exhausted humor and laughing so hard we had to hold our sides. So much laughter and a lot of healing with his children.

It has been made official that I am one of the kids though his wife is certainly not old enough to be my mother, his son, who I refer to as my baby brother, said if she were my sister it would be incest so I am an official sibling and child. I want to share the whole story at some time. Maybe I will write it in creative, who knows. I wish I could remember half of what we laughed so hard at.

I fell asleep next to him yesterday and at some point I have a memory of his wife stroking my hair as I slept and I think I was out for 3 hours. This is a profound experience. I have so much to say but it can't happen now. I am so very tired. Thank you dayzee and all. Love to you.