Sneaked right past like a thief in the night.

My friend Doug died today at 3.30 in the afternoon. He had another stroke a few days ago and went to the hospital. Than got discharged two days ago and back to the nursing home. When I called the place to check on him I was told that he was back, in room such-and-such and could have visitors. So I decided that Tuesday would be a nice day to go visit and rock and roll. I got a call from one of his friends just now saying that he had died today. What the nursing home didn't tell me when I checked was that Doug WAS back, he was in a semi-vegetative state, had oxygen and a feeding tube and a Dextrose IV and had somebody from Hospice sitting by his side. So he left on his trip to the next stop and here we are. I would have liked to be there to wish him a safe trip but he knew that was my wish. We talked a lot about all this in the last couple years. And he was ready.

i tried to take a nap about 2 this afternoon and tossed and turned and finally got back up. Which is really unusual because I can go to sleep at the drop of a pin. By three thirty I was having chest pains which is NOT characteristic of anything about me (I'm told by doctors I have the heart of a 21-year-old), and wondering if I should call somebody. Pains went away around 4.30. By five I was rocking and rolling again and frying a pork chop and onions and potatoes. I think at 3.30 my chest pains was the Universe letting me know Doug was leaving. That's happened before.

There'll be some kind of remembrance service one of these days, nothing fancy, and I'll take a handful of photos to it and three of us (Doug's Only Friends) will sit around and tell stories about him. And that's good. Ta!