Musings about the final days

Andy fought with every fiber in his being to live, but I don't think he feared death ever during his long illness. It was just that he enjoyed life and loved us so much!! He hated to give it up.

One conversation that really stands out in my mind is one we had the Saturday before his death. He was just home from the hospital, and he was sitting in the bed in the dining room, quietly surveying his surroundings. He had a very far away look on his face, one that I had never seen before.

I said, "Honey, are you sad?"

It took him a moment to focus on me, and then he very deliberately spoke: "Oh, no... not at all. I am very... content."

Couples often speak in shorthand. That brief conversation translated:

Me: "Honey, are you sad you are dying?"

Him: "No, I am glad I made it home before I leave."

To me, his words were a gift.

I love you Honey.