Christina,

You hit the nail on the head. I wanted to be there. If I had been able to be there, it's not far from where I grew up, and the medical care there is supposed to be the second best in the U.S. I could have advised my cousin on the importance of morphine, when it comes to broken bones. I would have had her moved over to an appropriate floor lickety split. However, now my much beloved cousin Anne is home, none of the pain will ever come to her mind again.

I know my sadness is making it harder for me to bounce back. I just loved her a lot. We were more like sisters than cousins. Loving her as much as I did and do, is worth every sad feeling I have to suffer now that she is gone.

Thank you, Christina, for always being such a sensitive soul to me and so many others here.

I hope you had a terrific retreat!

EJ