Together

Cole's Gido (her grandfather) passed away a few days ago while I was away in San Francisco on a job, so I was not there for her when he took his final breath. Cole had tons of family around her thankfully, and they were all gathered holding one another up, it felt terrible not to be there for my wife when I found out that her Gido had finally given in. All I could do was sit on the phone with her and listen. Cole knew that I would worry and try and come home early, so she waited to tell me the news until she knew my job was over.

Her Gido had been sick for so long, and had maxed out his tolerance for feeling bad, so we were all well prepared for the inevitable. Despite that, it never makes it feel better when it happens. Today is his funeral, and he will be laid to rest next to his wife, who he loved so much, and so in that there is this incredible feeling of a reunion. This feeling of relief that they will finally be together again. Cole adored her Sito and Gido, and at times while she has grieved for her Sito all these past months, it felt like she was the most sad that they were simply apart. That her Gido was alone to face his pain and illness without his partner. She could not imagine them alone. They had been such an incredible team.

On his final day, her Gido was surrounded by his family at a hospice house, and his children, and grandchildren, and great grand-children, all lavished love on him, and held his hand, and watched over him, all together, Cole described the day to me as "beautiful" and it sounds like they preserved his dignity and filled him with pride and reassurance that he had lived his life well and fulfilled every duty as a father and family man. He died a good death.

It has been a strange reaction around here, As much as Cole has been hurting, the unstoppable pain from losing her Sito was healed a little when he passed. She said that she almost immediately felt better about her Sito, she had been holding on to her so tightly. And could finally let go a little now that they were together. When he passed she felt so much let go. She said she could breathe again. Finally.

Sito and Gido. They were such a force together. On Gido's final day, with his family gathered at the Hospice House, The Littlest Buddy shocked the room when he first walked in with Cole. He immediately started to wave and say: "Hi Sito, Hi Sito." (he has not said her name since she has passed away) Cole asked him where his Sito was at, and he pointed over Gido and said: "There!" and then she asked: "is she happy?" and he said "Happy, happy." and kept signing "happy." She asked him: "Is Gido happy?" and he said: "Gido siiiiick, happy, happy, siiiiick." So Cole asked him: "What are Sito and Gido doing? and LB said: "Go airport, go bye-bye, happy, happy."

Together.

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