Our beloved Don Meyer
Thursday January 23rd 2014, 10:01 pm
Filed under: Crohn's flare,Friends,Life

Yesterday was such a sudden and steep dive downwards healthwise that it threw me; there’s always this fear of the Next Big Flare, which might not be treatable the next time, and I was living it. Michelle texted me every 15 minutes: drink! Two sips! She got me through the day.

And then I woke up this morning and I did not barf. My belly ached, but it wasn’t childbirthy now.  I managed eventually to eat something. It helped, and hope breathed a grateful relief. Thank you all for your prayers and for Thinking Good Thoughts.

And then I got up, I could actually get up! and I read my emails.

Don is gone. Home to be with his beloved Amalie again, five years after losing her. But–Don is gone from us.

Our elderly friend ran into me at the grocery store shortly after she passed, fifteen years after I’d last seen him. Their son Cliff had not yet moved back in to take care of him and Don was alone. I gave him my blog address, he became a regular here, and I encouraged him to start his own blog and some of you kept him in good company with your comments and caring, and I will forever be grateful for that.

He passed two days after coming home from the hospital, and the day in between, I called to see how he was doing. Cliff told him who was on the phone and asked if he was up to speaking with me, and Don didn’t hear; “Who?”

I heard that one word and I heard the effort that went into saying it and knew in my bones it was the last thing I would hear from him. It was. Cliff apologized, but I have been at that edge where simply breathing is all you can do–but I had Crohn’s, not cancer.

Goodbye, dear friend, and the rest of you? We’re all going to have to step up on the bad puns to wish him well on his way forward. I’m, I’m, just not coming up with any quite yet. I’m sure I’ll make up for it later.


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I sent Don this link just before he went into hospital last autumn.
http://www.dance-teacher.com/2013/10/tappers-dominate-the-cups-song/

He replied, in one of his last emails to me:
“Oh, I needed that! Thank you so much! I love tap dancing, and I have been feeling under the weather lately….Again, thanks. It helped. It really did.”

Don, we’re gonna miss you!

Comment by LynnM 01.24.14 @ 12:37 am

Having lost my mother on January 2nd I know that feeling in the pit of your stomach when someone you loved moves on to their next adventure without you. I will be praying for you and all who loved Don.

Comment by Jody 01.24.14 @ 4:39 am

Sorry for your loss Alison – and for the loss to all the others who knew and loved Don.

Comment by wildknits 01.24.14 @ 5:48 am

I’m glad you are feeling better. You have been through so much!
I received a nice e-mail from Don’s son last evening. My e-mail address was in Don’s book. It was great that the two of you reconnected and he knew he had a loyal friend.

Comment by Joansie 01.24.14 @ 9:11 am

I am so glad you are feeling better, and so sorry for the loss of your dear friend Don. Here’s my favorite bad pun, to salute him.

Mahatma Gandhi walked barefoot most of the time, which gave him very callused feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him … A super calloused fragile mystic hexed with halitosis!

Comment by DebbieR 01.24.14 @ 9:16 am

I shed tears when I heard of Don’s passing, I am happy you are feeling better. Debbie’s pun is a real groaner!!

Comment by Kris 01.24.14 @ 1:45 pm

I’m dropping back to see what people are saying, and DebbieR, I LAUGHED!!! HAHAHAHAHA! You stepped into Don’s shoes today.
Thanks.

Comment by LynnM 01.24.14 @ 3:58 pm

I step away from your blog for a couple of days, and look what happens. I wish Don the absolute best on his new adventure. I wish you comfort and healing and staying-here-for-a-while-ness, since you have grandbabies help help raise.

Comment by LauraN 01.24.14 @ 4:06 pm

I second what wildknits said.

I’d love to have something else to say, but I’m wondering how furnace guys install a new furnace in an unheated house where the temperature is about 20 degrees outside. I hope to find out tomorrow morning.

Comment by RobinM 01.24.14 @ 5:00 pm

So glad you’re feeling better, Alison. Hope this really bad flare was it’s way of working out of your system and you won’t be troubled by it anymore. You were doing so much better – hope tomorrow you’ll be feeling like yourself again.

I’m touched by this post dedicated to Don. I never knew him personally but, I miss him and am sad. My heart goes out to Cliff and all of Don’s close friends – including you, Alison. He made the world a better place by being himself, reaching out and brightening the day for others – when he was likely not feeling well himself even though he never complained. I think he would have liked this blog post and been touched that people cared so much about him. He will be genuinely and forever missed.

And, he would thank you for caring and would be wishing you a quick return to better health. I too am sending get well quick wishes your way. And, thank you for sharing Don with all of us and for encouraging him to start that blog. From the privacy of his own home, he made the world a better place.

Comment by Abby 01.24.14 @ 6:58 pm

Oh, Alison, how very sad. I will miss Don’s puns, his humor, and his love of the world’s beauty.

My heart is with you.

Comment by Pegi 01.30.14 @ 6:44 pm



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