I've thought about this for several weeks now and tonight I guess it's time to take a shot at saying it. Because I sing, I came here and because I came here, I made many friends, many unmet, and yet as close to me as any I've known. I found friends here who sang for their friends, in happiness and sadness, in good times and bad.......and I often joined in the chorus. Too often though in the past few years, the song has been for me as I've gone through some of life's less pleasant experiences. I have been more than moved by the songs written, the good thoughts and prayers sent to me and Karen. I believe that my life has been not just enriched, but frankly saved by the songs, thoughts, and prayers, of my friends here at the 'Cat. Sometimes I wonderered why I was so blessed........................

A few days after the latest miraculous surgery which could have left me dead instead of here writing this post, I was up and about, bored stiff, and wandering the halls of Floor 8 at OSU's University Hospital. I was perusing the skyline through other room's windows and watching the progress on renovations at Ohio Stadium. Floor 8 is the Cardiac floor in a hospital that specializes in high risk heart patients and surgery so the occasional deaths are more the norm than they are in other places. Standing in the hallway and peering through a window in a waiting area, a woman broke my thoughts by asking, "Hi! I keep noticing you passing. Why are you here?" I guess it wasn't until then I realized it was a family waiting area. I saw no one else in the room and as she had asked, I wandered in and told her why I was there. She was knitting away as we spoke and after a few minutes of my story, I asked why she was there.

She began to tell me of her husband, 74 years old and a healthy man til a month ago. Now his overall heart function had been reduced to 30% when he was brought in and even with the best efforts of the Doctors, it was now down to 10%. We talked of their life and what he had done, what they had done together, their children, their retirement. He had been a Union president at one point and merged with a larger union where he was Secretary for many years. They had enjoyed a retirement of almost 20 years together and had a fine life. So we talked on and on for about an hour. The best I could do was reassure her of that which she already knew.....Memories were rich and wonderful things, a fine family was about the best thing anyone could have, friends were great too, and that she had those things to hold onto as the time was now short for him.

Her nephew Harold, a fellow about my age, came in about that time and we talked for a few minutes. I said my goodbyes and wished them the best. A few hours later, wandering the halls again, I heard a few moaning, low pitched, screams and as I turned the corner, realized they came from her husband's room. I continued on, hoping to get back to my room before things got "busy." As I walked past, Mrs. "X" came out holding Harold's arm and our eyes met briefly. I tried the best "chin-up smile" that I could muster and moved aside as they headed for an area set aside for those times. I went into my bathroom and shed a few for her and for the life she now faced. It happens every day, thousands of times the world over, but 54 years together is a long time.........................

The next day Harold came into my room and asked if he could have a few words with me. He said he was there to pick up a few things and his aunt had asked him to see me if I was still there. He said that she appreciated the time I had spent with her and the words I had said, although I had no idea what they were......and still don't. He thanked me for being there, that she was really thankful for meeting me, and said that, "Whatever you said to her, it meant a lot." I thanked him and we made some small talk, he wished me well, and we parted company. I laid down and thought about it and began to wonder about things in general..........Most of it sounds kinda' hokey I guess, but it got down to this.......................

Maybe all those songs sung for me and prayers and thoughts sent my way assured that I'd be in that hallway where I was given the chance to say a few words that helped another human being in a time of need. Maybe without the songs of my friends, Mrs."X" would have done just fine, but she was grateful I was there............And I was there thanks to you. Let's all continue to sing for our friends.

Spaw