Four years ago today, John and I were on a train heading back to Michigan from Florida. It was really hard on John. The train took us as far as Flint. They had a horrid job getting John off the train because he couldn’t walk and the aisle was too narrow to have a guy on each side of him. No skinny wheel chair was available. When he finally got off and we were in the limo to take us the last lap home, I could tell he was failing fast! I suggested that we take him to the hospital, but he wanted to be home (he knew the end as very close).

When we got home he could still speak (and he gave me the door code to get the garage door to go up). The limo driver and the nurse (an RN) who’d taveled with us walked him from the car. He collapsed in the garage. I put my arms around him and helped lower him to the garage floor. The nurse had started CPR immediately. Very soon the ambulance crew arrived and all worked to resuscitate him but he was never conscious. I think he died when he collapsed.

He was declared dead at 12:30 a.m. on May 12th. That’s what the death certificate says. I am certain that he died on the 11th. Today is May 11th.