Bye-bye my buddy

My husband went to Heaven on October 24, 2011. 

I feel certain he is in peace now, free of pain and seated at the Table of Grace.

He had been battling CHF for 8 years, and this past year was particularly difficult for him.

Freddie had health challenges in his life that prevented him from being comfortable in any setting; He had constant pain and fatigue when sitting, standing, walking, driving, even in attempting to lay down to sleep at night. He ended up sleeping in hour increments in a recliner in the living room.

He was miserable much of the time which was not easy for any of us to bear, especially on a daily basis. 

Still, Freddie was a funny man. It was his sense of humour and playfulness that got us through our 34 years together. Seems nothing came easy for us.When our son was 11 months old, Freddie fell through a roof, and was unable to physically work full time ever again. That was in 1990. He continued to work part-time until 4 months before his passing. (which was a testament to sheer will on his part). 

We were (by the grace of God) able to remain in this little house we bought so many years ago; where we raised an outstanding son and daughter. The years went by----we celebrated our childrens'  Baptisms, Reconciliation, Communions, Confirmations, English Horse Riding Championships, Trumpet solos, Band concerts, Little League games, Award ceremonies, Nursery School, Elementary School, Middle School, High School and College Graduations!  So many blessings!

The years took their toll on our extended families..Freddie lost his parents, sister and brother....I lost my grandparents, best childhood friend, my father...

Conversely, my brother and sister-in-law gave us nieces and nephews and Godchildren to dote upon!

The house always needed repairs we couldn't afford, but we cleaned, cooked, shopped, decorated and baked around the crumple and still laughed at the end of the day........And argued like cats and dogs....and lived to laugh (and fuss) another day.

But, 2011 proved to be too much. 

Beginning in January, we were back and forth to the Wound Care center, Dr. visits and Hospital stays back-to-back-to back. Freddie would no sooner come home, he'd need to go back. His pills and monitors were everywhere, he was failing.

August 24, 2011 at 5 am, my son came to me and said, "I think Dad is having a stroke". We got him to the ER (no easy feat..he was a bit combative in his confused state) and he was experiencing an aphasic stroke. (and we uncovered it had not been his first stroke)

So,  although he came home for a month, afterwards, our October 11 trip to the ER proved to be the beginning of the end of our tri-weekly visits.

Freddie's heart and lungs and kidneys couldn't work anymore. His organs failing, body temperature dropping, blood pressure dropping, he was placed upon a respirator after suffering a cardiac arrest.

We were comforted to have 18 more hours to all be together, although he could not speak.,.,he knew we were all at his bedside and he mouthed words to us and we understood one another.

And at 2am, October 24, 2011 he passed onto the Everlasting.

We didn't have a "perfect marriage", in fact, it was like living a nightmare sometimes.......But, during the past few recent years, after the children were grown, we evolved into more a devoted true friendship than a sexy  romance..and it was OK.

And after his funeral....a loving, personal and spiritual tribute to my husband of over 3 decades....it was time to lay him to well-deserved rest. I laid a rose and whispered as I kissed his casket, "Byebye buddy, I'll see you soon"