Goodbye Ron

Tonight I received some bad news about one of Blake's roomies at Kingston General Hospital.

Ron passed away on Saturday, October 24th at 6:05 in the evening with his wife and son by his side.

I have been thinking of our roomies, Ron & Don, every day since we left the hospital. I wanted to visit them last week, but I had a migraine and nausea from Saturday right through to Thursday. Add three trips to Toronto into the mix! There was no way I was getting to Kingston last week.

So I had thought maybe since Blake and I will likely be travelling to Kingston on Thursday to get the Remicade dose (they still haven't officially confirmed that it's a go!), we might just pop by Kingston General to visit "the boys".

I called Ron's wife, Joan, this morning and just got her answering machine. She returned my call while I was at the boys' soccer games this afternoon, but her message was one of sad news.... that Ron had passed away on Saturday.

She was thrilled that I had called because she misplaced the piece of paper I had given her with my phone number on it. She didn't know what to do or how to get in touch with me.

I called her back tonight and we chatted for well over an hour! I just hung up from her about an hour ago and have been googling information about Ron's funeral details. His funeral is Friday morning in Kingston, and I am hoping that I will be able to go. I am hoping that Blake is well enough to go too, but that will depend on the treatment he receives on Thursday.

Joan and I had a lovely talk and she is comforted in knowing that Ron is without pain now. He was moved to a private room a couple of days after Blake was discharged from the hospital, and it sounds like Ron was "quite busy".... much like he was in the room when he had too much morphine and I was constantly watching him for fear that he'd hurt himself.

I think Joan said at one point she thought, "Oh I wish Michelle were here". I told Joan that if I had known, I'd have had them put a cot in his room and I'd have stayed with him, just like I did with my late mother-in-law. Then I told her that I really felt guilty for leaving Ron & Don at the hospital when Blake came home. I told her that I wanted to pack up Ron & Don and bring them to The County and I would have let her come along too!!!

Well, we had a lovely chat, and I love how the Lord brings people together... even under such terrible circumstances as being ill. Joan wants to get together for coffee sometime when I'm in Kingston, and I'm excited for that time to come. She's a lovely lady.

Oh yes, she also told me that ol' Don has been moved to St. Mary's Of The Lake in Kingston for rehabilitation. She said he's up and walking with a walker now. He started out using the walker with two nurses assisting him down the hall, but graduated to using the walker all on his own!

Joan said she went to Don's room to visit him one day, and she told him, "I see you were 'out' with a couple of women, Don" [referring to him walking the halls with two nurses]. Joan said to Don, "I wonder what Michelle would think of that." Don looked questioningly at her, not knowing who "Michelle" was. She reminded him of who I was and that I was Blake's Mom and that I helped care for him and Ron for a couple of weeks. He couldn't recall who I was. Now, folks, that actually kind of surprises me that anyone would forget ME! tee-hee-hee

Anyways, I'm hoping that Blake and I will get a chance to visit Don at St. Mary's, perhaps on Thursday. I also believe that day is his birthday and he'll be turning 93 years old! I know Don's memory was short-term because of his strokes, but I'm sure once I remind him of "the dancing girls", his memories of me will return. And for those of you just joining us on the blog.... NO, I DID NOT DANCE FOR THE MEN IN THE HOSPITAL ROOM! haha

So, for you praying folks out there, please remember Joan in your prayers as she and her family grieve Ron's passing. He went downhill very very quickly, so I'm sure things are hitting Joan a little harder than she's letting on. But she sounds like a strong woman, and I was truly blessed by our conversation tonight. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have met this sweet woman and her dear husband.

Goodbye Ron. I don't think I'll ever take morphine again without thinking of YOU!