Have you ever had a friend pass away unexpectantly?

@bizness (866)
United States
November 28, 2012 2:28pm CST
I have...just this past year. She was only 34 years old. She hadn't been feeling well, had these headaches at the base of her skull. She went to the doctor and they said they needed to drain some fluid. The surgery went fine. 2 weeks later she developed an infection and had to go back to the doctor. He treated her and put her on steroids. She began to improve. The steroids made her swell in her face and body and she hated it. She just wasn't feeling 100% but she was getting better. Well, it was on a Sunday. I saw her that morning for a brief moment at the bowling alley (she loved to bowl). She said she was feeling 'OK'. Later that day I noticed she was on Facebook and had posted (at 1;15 pm) that 'she would give anything to just feel normal again'. That evening she was on Facebook for a bit and we said hello. She went to bed around 1:30 am. Next morning, he husband woke up and saw it was 6:30 am, he was going to be late for work. He started calling her name, telling her they had overslept (realize here that Tracy always woke him promptly at 5:30 am). He jumped up and began to get dressed all the while talking to her. She wasn't answering and he went over to wake up. He bent down, shook her and realized she wasn't breathing. He pulled her to the floor and began mouth to mouth, yelling for their daughter. She came running in (she's 14) and saw her mom on the floor. She called 911 and helped to try and revive her...but it was too late. She had been dead for several hours. She had died in her sleep. Such a sad day. She was the kind of person that when she walked into a room, it lit up. She always smiled and it was so contagious! The world is a little darker without her. I miss her very much but I know she iw with God and watching over me. I was thinking about her today and just wanted to share. Thanks to everyone for listening.
1 person likes this
5 responses
@deazil (4723)
• United States
29 Nov 12
I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend. And for what has happened to her family since. It's heartbreaking. I lost a friend last year due to a mistake at the hospital. He was my oldest friend and was my age - 65. Years ago he suffered the effects of Agent Orange (from Viet Nam) and had a kidney transplant. Naturally he needed medication since then. Something happened last year, I can't remember what, but his wife took him to a hospital (not the usual one) and they gave him a week's worth of medication intravenously over a few hours. This was the mistake. The medication speeded up his system. His wife realized something was wrong and had him brought to his regular hospital. Over the next few weeks he went to a type of rehab facility and then home. But the damage was done. He had aged 20 years in a matter of days. His hair fell out, he looked so much older than he had a few weeks earlier. A few months later he passed away in his sleep. It was very sad. A very avoidable loss of life. Again, I'm sorry for your loss of such a good friend and a wonderful person. Do you keep in touch with the children? I'm sure they would like to know what a good friend their mother was to people and how much she was loved by others. Kind of keeping her memory alive, you know?
@bizness (866)
• United States
6 Dec 12
Thank you for the kind words. I am so sorry for the loss of your friend. Yes we keep in contact. The daughter comes over to spend the night on occasion. My friend's mother keeps in contact with me as well. For my friend's birthday, we met in a parking lot. We bought balloons and we put messages on them, then we released them into the air and watched them float up to heaven. It was so wonderful.
@deazil (4723)
• United States
6 Dec 12
Thank you. He was a good friend. What a nice thing to do with the balloons! It must have given you both a warm feeling. It's good that you see the daughter every so often. It's nice she gets to spend the night and that she has a good influence in her life. She must feel badly about what has happened to her father. Sad. I hope the younger brother is doing well.
@bizness (866)
• United States
9 Dec 12
Thank you. Yes the balloons were so nice, it was almost like I knew she'd get the messages! The son is taking it much better than the daughter I think. We try to be here for both of them if they need us.
@emerillus (467)
• Philippines
29 Nov 12
My prayers to her husband and daughter, I hope they can find peace in their hearts eventually. God answers all prayers, especially prayers of those mourning. Also to you, bizness. I am deeply saddened by your news. It is hard to lose someone, whether young or old, especially if it is so sudden and her so young and a cheerful person. My deepest sympathy to you and to her family.
• Philippines
29 Nov 12
Oh no! I hope they can patch things up and work together to build their home again. I know they'll think of their mother and eventually realize she is not really gone after all but is still in their hearts.
@bizness (866)
• United States
29 Nov 12
Thank you so much emerillus. The saddest part is the family fell apart. The dad stopped working and started taking pain pills. They lost their home and everything in it. The kids, there were 2, the daughter that found the mom, and a 12 yr old son, both are now living with the grandmother and have no contact with the father. It's a shame. I know she is shaking her head and very sad to see this.
@doroffee (4222)
• Hungary
28 Nov 12
Oh my... I'm really sorry. I'm just hoping she's in a better place now. I fortunately never had an experience like this.
@bizness (866)
• United States
28 Nov 12
Thank you for the kind words. I believe she is. She was such a loving, caring and giving person, and if you believe it Heaven, then I can tell you it's a much brighter place with her there!
• Indonesia
29 Nov 12
I feel sorry for that unfortunate event, but this make me thinking how I'm so childish to complain about my problem which is small compared to many people which has a serious illness and fighting for survive, I'm so ashamed of myself. Well I have had 2 friends who pass away unexpectedly, however that is because of the accident, and the accident they have drown in the river when in the religious mission...It's truly unexpected and everyone so shocked.
@bizness (866)
• United States
6 Dec 12
Oh wow! I am so sorry! That is terrible! It's never easy but when people die unexpectantly in a tragic accident or something similar, I think it's even harder to deal with and understand. My heart goes out to you and those families.
28 Nov 12
I'm so sorry! That's horrible. My mum passed away very suddenly when she was 38 (I was 17) and my fiance passed away suddenly too so I know how you must be feeling. It's nice that you felt the need to share this with us so thank you for that, even though it saddened me greatly.
@bizness (866)
• United States
29 Nov 12
Thank you for your kind words. And I am so very sorry for your loss! To lose your mom and then lose a fiance is terrible. My heart goes out to you.
1 person likes this
29 Nov 12
Thank you very much. Take care!