Crying like a baby.....
The last time I really cried was the night my stepfather finally succumbed to bowel cancer.

We'd never really been close, he was always very hands off until any of us kids did anything wrong and then we'd soon know about it.

The man lying in the hospice bed with a morphine(?) drip in his arm, looking like an Auschwitz inmate was a million miles away from the strict, father figure that dominated my life for so many years.

Our family took it in turns to be with him during the last few days and on this night, it was ours. Present were me, my twin sister, my boyfriend and a mate I've known since puberty :-)

The four of us were talking and I was holding his hand, when I noticed his breathing falter. I felt my heart skip a beat, then he started breathing again. A few minutes later he tried to say something, and shortly after his breathing stopped. Just like that. We called the nurse in who confirmed that he'd died. As she said those words an incontrollable sob left my body and out of nowhere I burst into tears, sobbing helplessly.

My mate hugged me. my boyfriend hugged me and my twin sister said "Oh well, time to stack him up..." [in the morgue]. I didnt know whether to laugh or cry, and as I was already crying, continued to do so.

Apologise for length? Never had to before....
(Equalizor, Thu 14 Apr 2005, 23:45, Reply)