LOSING A GOOD FRIEND

September 21st we lost our beloved friend Tom. The same day his son Tommy was critcally injured in a
bomb explosion fighting for our country.

Since that day we have felt so much sorrow, Tom has been like a brother to us and we became close in
the fifties through my childhood friend. Her Mother and mine were the best of friends and Nancy and I
became the best of friends sharing our married lives in so many fun ways.
That has all come to an end of a beautiful relationship between 4 people because it is now down to 3.
We are praying everyday for Tommy's condition to improve so that he may be moved to Walter Reed Hospital for further care. At this time he is to critical to be moved. Thank goodness his wife is with him
and his cousin who is a General and hopefully can make things easier for him.

Tom's whole family died from the big C. Tom was degilent with going to the doctor's to be checked
yearly and sometimes every 6 months. Did that help him - no - because they mis- diagnosed him with
first pleursy and then pneumonia. It started in October and the cancer dignoses came Feb.4th.
How do I know it was that date? Because it was my birthday and when the call came I thought they
were calling to wish me a Happy Birthday not to tell me this devistating news.
 We were all crushed. It was beyond belief.
 Even with that terrible news they still came down to celebrate my birthday.
That is the kind of people they are - always thinking of the other person and never themselves.
Tom looked to me for guidance and hope since I had Breast Cancer in 2006 and I was glad to
support him but it became clear that I did not come near to what he was enduring,  Then the doctor
did the unforgivable by treating him with to much Chemo, It wrecked havoc on his body, infiltrating
his lungs and that was the beginning of the end.  He fought a long hard battle and his children were
all there for him and his son Tommy even got a special 2 week leave to be with him as they were
not sure how long Tom would have,  It brought their family so much closer but it is a shame it
took this terrible disease to make it happen.
  We will never share all the fun times again but we have all of those great memories to remember
and he will never leave our hearts.  Nancy is a brave, strong woman and is holding up as well as
can be expected. We all have to gather around her to ease her pain.