Hopefull

Excath, I am very sorry to hear you have lost such a good and close friend and that such a decent person has left this world.

I pray that his wife and family and friends will feel God's comfort and that they will get whatever they need in the weeks, months, and years ahead.

Shellon, you have hit it all right on the nose. There is no way you would know all that unless you had been through it yourself- the world is a different place, to me- bereft of the one who was my best friend, always on my side, loved me unconditionally, lived all the day to day trivia and personal intimacies that no one else will ever know.

I can hardly want to live in a world where George isn’t. There is hardly a moment when I am not thinking of him, missing him. He was a quiet man but he had a lot of presence and I miss talking to him, I miss the security, I miss the bond, I miss looking at him and feeling the familiarity and trust of him. It has been almost a month and I keep forgetting that he is not here anymore.

Sometimes I feel so well adjusted and reasonably happy that it makes me wonder if I loved him as much as I know I do when those waves of grief drown me.

What I do know is that God and/or Jesus and/or his angels have been working overtime to comfort me and support me through other people and events that have come to my aid. I know it is especially important to try to push myself to live as normally as possible so that the natural grieving process does not become full blown depression. And if there was ever a time to focus on the spiritual that time is now. For example, I have made a commitment to meet someone at her church this Sunday morning for the service.

Shell, your post was amazing, you really do understand, thank-you for the time and effort you put into that.

Coolchef, I have been wearing his wedding band on a chain around my neck- because he told me to hold on to it before the surgery- and his watch and I sleep in his bathrobe sometimes. I hope your mom is doing better.

Krys, I forget he is gone so many times a day and want to call him with some news. I would not be surprised to find myself looking for a valentines day card for him in 3 months- your story is bittersweet and I sure do understand. Thanks for your prayers.

Shell- how did you get through holidays and birthdays and valentine's day and whatnot- without your Bob-

The counselor at the hospital tells me I will never be the same person I was. At least there is a chance I will be better. I will be in her group in Feb.

Yesterday was a terrible day. Today is much better. Tomorrow is as of yet unknown.

Bye for now.

I had nightmares early this morning. I dreamt that George drove up in his truck and parked in front of our apartment building. I was so excited to see him- I ran up to greet him but it was only a dummy in his seat. I started yelling, where’s George, where’s George, and then I thought to call him on his cell phone and then realized that I had both my cell and his in my pocketbook.

I became hysterical because I was not with his body and kept screaming in my head, where is he, I need to be with his body.

Then the heavens opened up and the clouds started forming fast in billows. A giant swarthy man appeared from the clouds and I knew he was akin to the devil and he reached out into the chest of a man standing nearby and plucked out his heart. I was hiding, and I could either confront him and use the Word to make him retreat- or keep hiding and lose the power of the Word the longer I hid. He looked over at me and then my alarm went off and I woke in a shivering sweat…

How does anyone get through this???

I wish I could thank and hug each of you for your kind words and good wishes on my behalf. It means alot to me and I will come back here often to re-read all the replies so I do not feel so alone.

It would be redundant to put a prayer request up at this time but please say a prayer for me. I think I am coping ok but there are times when I find it hard to breathe and function. Please pray that God gives me the strength to go through and come out a better person and that His will be done in my life.

For sure such empathy was not so well known in twi.

God bless you,

Hope

Thank you everyone for your kind responses.

I have been blessed with 2 girlfriends in particular who have been helping me but of course there is no way not to "go through". and my father flew in from AZ to help and left a few days ago.

It is such a -I hate to use the word comfort but I cannot think of a better one at the moment- to have GS friends there no matter what your level of participation has been or will be.

Thanks also for your prayers and good thoughts -it really does make you feel that you are not alone.

Hope

Hi, please read in memoriam.

My husband George had ex way friends that come here and this is better than a newspaper obit as he had little family.

Thanks for all the replies. I will be more active here I am sure.

Love you ex twi gs folks,

Hope

This is hopefull. I have been absent for a long time as well as reticent in my personal life having had only the desire to spend time with my husband for about the last 2 years. Now I understand why.

George Booth was born on Long Island in 1948, is a decorated vietnam vet- partially disabled- was in TWI almost six years- 1993 to 1998 and was a smoker for 43 years.

Many of you know me and that he was diagnosed with lung cancer stage 3 B in 2000 and went through a year of chemo and some radiation. He never complained but it was a very lonely time for me. All his cat scans since have been clean and we had all hopes of being together for a very long time.

We just had our 7th wedding anniversary (but were together for 4 years before that) on a cruise we had saved hard for (9/5) and he felt increasingly unwell the entire time with gas, bloating, "rumbling"- this started mildly the very last week of August. The gastric distress led to a specialist and several doctors and prescriptions when we returned.

On 9/20/05 he had sudden and serious acute abdominal pain and called me at 1 pm to take him to the hospital. My husband is- or was very stoic and this meant he was really in pain. After many tests in the er which were all negative, a surgeon pursuaded us to ok an exploratory surgery with the assumption that it was his appendix and that the other symptoms were an ulcer and George had an appointment for an endoscopy for the the next week to check out that possibility.

He came out of the surgery on life support- for 2 days and then died- after I gave the drn at the right time per his wishes from a conversation 4 years ago. The cancer had metastisized to his adrenal glands and caused clots in his intestine and his lower intestine become necrotic. I have since found out that when lung cancer comes back it is silent, hard to detect, kills quickly. and no amount of not smoking or eating right would have made a difference.

He was given military honors by the color guard at his memorial service 2 days ago and his cremaines are interned at a beautiful columbarium at Calverton National Cemetary here on Long Island. I did all as he would have wished.

He was a simple man, very kind, a huge NY Yankees fan, a Giants and an Erehhardt Jr, (and Sr.) fan- nascar, loved our 2 bonehead kitty cats and most of all me. He believed most of pfal to the end but refused to talk about his way experience after we were M & A. His favorite meal was meatloaf mashed potatos with corn on top of the potatoes- his only alcohol was light beer and his favorite band was the Eagles and he also loved Harleys, fishing off a charter boat here in Long Island. He was a simple man with simple tastes but could really dress up and clean up well, looked great in the rare tux event, but wanted mostly to be home with me. He was always home with me- and the tv remote close by.

He thougth Nicki Cox on Las Vagas and Daisy Fuentes and Angelina Jolie were the end all for total babes (after me of course) and he had my blessing to sleep with them if the opportunity arose. (as if)

He had all the qualities of a real man on both ends of the spectrum- bad at intimacy (but good at listening) and refused to take care of himself until he had to - his job was electronic technician- also he was quiet and kind with a good sense of humor and a good judge of people and was liked by everyone. He was an ex biker marlboro man type that became mild and gentle because of twi, my influence, and getting older and wiser. I often said that people liked him more than he liked most people. He never lied to me or strayed. He always said I was a natural beauty, told me he loved me often, and showed me that my safety, my happiness and comfort was more important that his own.

He was a much better husband the last few years and I became mostly very satisfied with him and our marriage.

There are ex way people that knew him that I hope read this otherwise they will never know.

I will put a prayer request up when I am able because I am at a loss to type further.

Hopefull

I wish this day had never happened for you and your family. How ghastly and shockingly unfair.

My prayers are with you.

If Daryl were straight, he would have made a pass at me during our wow year. (at least, I like to think so...)

yeah and the song what a friend we have in Jesus- what was that all about?

Steve, great post- yet I think us ex-twi are lower than never-twi slime-of-the-slime, cream-of-the-crAp category, non-standing non-members.

HCW the only "jesus" spoken of (after you renigades who didn't choose loy boy were shown the door that hit you on the butt on the way out) was the devil spirit you hooked up with if you tried to talk to Him.

(although there was that nice man we sang about- jesus jesus jesus sweetest name I know- however we never spoke of him without a "christ" on the end)

I have posted this before- however tomorrow will be 7 years to the day that I was kicked out.

My then fianc?as called on the phone right before Tues fellowship and told not come- he was no longer welcome at fellowship. The reason he was given for being kicked out was that he was "illusive" about his past and because he missed a meeting.

I called my fellowship coordinator (who were paid WC) and was given an ultimatum- either ostracize him for 6 months and then perhaps reconcile (if it's of gawd doncha know- and maybe marry after taking the advanced class together) or continue to see him and suffer the same fate.

I needed a good swift kick towards the exit door. It hurt like hell but within weeks I was ever so glad.

Nevermind

Oldies, I didn't hear anyone say that Don was incompetent or inadequate- twi was VP's passion and it did not have to be the passion of his children. Hypothetically, I have have no interest in going into my father vocation/ business but if I did out of obligation I would be competent but it would not be my "bliss".

Is is not God who gives a calling and the anointing and grace to the individual? And do we not all have different strengths and weaknesses?

Don always struck me as a kind man (which is more than I can say for you right now) and I don't see that it matters one whit if being "commited to the ministry of the word" was his thing or not.

HCW- that post was lovely to read and brought to my remembrance many of the reasons I became involved in twi (1977) and the good feelings from way back when. Oh to be young again and to have true friendships, camaraderie, a purpose and closeness to God- I had a minuteman summer like that.

God knows that most people are complex and have many sides to them- as you are a photographer you seem to have a good way of seeing the whole picture.

Thanks, welcome to GS and please keep writing.

Going back to twi = putting new wine into old wineskins

I would love to re-connect with them. If anyone could pass this on- Hope, my email is onefullahope@yahoo.com.

Thanks.

Daryl!!

Thanks for your story- that took guts.

It's unfortunate that I won't be at the very happy occasion of Steve and Cindy's wedding because it would be wonderful to see you again.

Love always,

Hope (your fellow ex-way ex-wow who never left Long Island)

Jim, I am so so sorry for the loss of your beloved wife. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Ellen's family and friends during this very dark time.

Hopefull

I saw it with my parents last Oct. in Tucson.

Thank God it was a matinee, we all thought it was boooooooring *yawn* definately style over substance.

I have been a bit of a hermit lately but had to come out and wish my friend her Wackyness a Very Happy Birthday! I hope you did something that you really enjoyed.

I wish many more happy birthdays for you and I hope ALL your dreams come true.

"If The Way hates it, it has to be Good."

Socks, after that post I am fighting off an insane desire to flirt with you...

"If The Way hates it, it has to be Good."

Last joke I remember from Craig-

ROA 1995

Q. what's green and skates?

A. Peggy phlegm

"If The Way hates it, it has to be Good."

Holy Cow Jonny, that was messed up. At least the few times I got hit on (by men) it was a flat out pass and not all that sickening sexual innuendo.

Thanks for your story.

"If The Way hates it, it has to be Good."

I agree with excath not to wish him any ill will.

I am more concerned with if li'l ole me is going to heaven- in that respect, I hope he is going there cuz then it means there is hope for me also.

It is up to God to both judge and vindicate.

"If The Way hates it, it has to be Good."