Our Rottweiler, Kissy ... Had Surgery

Photos/story owned, written by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/@grannygee

Kissy had surgery on his right, hind leg on March 25, 2015.

  

You can see from the photos that his leg is doing very good.  

This is one of the beds I have made for Kissy.  It is in the living room.  I sleep beside him, sometimes. 

 

When Kissy begins to cry softly, I know he is hurting, and he needs comfort.  I grab my pillows, blanket and get down on his bed with him.  He calms down.

This is the bed I made for him at the end of our bed. This is his second bed.  Kissy has always slept with us since he was 6 weeks old.  He is now, 4 years old.  

For now, his injury ... surgery has kept him from getting up on the bed ... I imagine it'll be several more months before he can get back up on the bed.

This is Kissy Fairchild's sister ... Precious Camie Leigh.  She loves Kissy, and is always near Kissy.  

Camie loves to sit on Kissy.  Kissy was laying in the hallway, yesterday ... I saw Camie sitting on him! I took a photo! 

Remember the article I wrote about not letting your dogs be 'Weekend Cowboys'?  Well, if you let your dogs rest all week ... they are prime candidates to get torn ligaments, and such when they play, run, jump on the weekends when you take them to exercise.  They can do it anytime, also.  

Kissy and Camie rough-house all the time, running ... jumping, spinning around.  That's how Kissy injured his leg.  He couldn't walk at all on his right leg, and it was hurting his left hip, leg before surgery.  Now, he will always have to always be careful ... because there's the chance he'll have to have the same expensive surgery on his left side!

Take my advice, don't let your dogs play too hard. If I had just known.  Especially ... when they are overweight ... Kissy weighed 128 lbs.  He had to lose weight for his surgery.  He lost 9 lbs.

You can Google the surgery he had.  The name of it for short is:  TTA ... meaning Tibial Tuberosity Advancement.  It's the best surgery for big dogs.  

This is the approximate cost of Kissy's surgery.  The cost was a little more at the end.  

Our sweet Kissy is getting better day by day.  It's only been 1 week since his surgery.  I stay by his side, keeping him on leash whenever he goes outside.  I'll have to do this for quite some time.  I will take care of our Kissy.

Kissy up on Skip's lap with his new toy from his Auntie G.

For now, he isn't supposed to walk a lot of steps. After the first two weeks, he'll begin to increase in small increments.  It will probably take 4 months to get him back to walking good.  

Thank you from our Hearts to everyone and they know exactly who they are ... that made sure Kissy got his surgery ... the cost was $3,000.  Thank you are the only words I know to say when I mean so much more.  My Heart means more than I can possibly say.

(This photo is in memory of our Sweet Chadwick Elsworth ... he died January 16, 2015.  He loved to be up on Skip's lap.  It breaks my Heart looking at his photo.  He was my ... Yellow Pup).  Skip loves for our Pups to get up on his lap.  

Skip, my husband ... and our 2 Pups, Kissy and Camie ... are all I have left in this world.  They are my whole world.  When my son lived ... he was a huge part of our world.  Now, there's no one but, us. We love, treasure our Pups.  I will do all I possibly can for them. 

Thank you to the surgeon, Dr. Doby Whiting.  One can look, see what a beautiful surgery you did on our beloved Kissy. 

Thank you to Kissy, and Camie's 'doc-doc' (that's what Kissy and Camie know their vet as :) ... and his staff at:

Dr. David Fontenot 

(Morgan, Teresa, Tonya, Heather ... and everyone there).  You don't know how much we love, respect you.  All of you have become special to us over time.

Even Sweet Things Bite ...

Even Sweet Things Bite ...

By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee

My little hands parted the green blades of grass

The leaves of the different flowers planted there

I wanted to find the bottom of the flower I had chosen

So that I could pick it for my grandma

Instead my eyes were riveted on the nest there

With little baby mice in it, how sweet they were

My heart melted as I pick some of the babies up

It quickly became cold when one of them bit me hard

I put it back down, tilted my head

Looking at something so sweet, precious

Then, looking at my finger to see the blood

That damn little mouse bit me…. on the finger

With that on my mind, I ran into the house of Hell

To tell my Grandma Alma, George

About the little nest of mice I’d just found

Someone mentioned they’d have to kill them

I ran back outside, quickly found that nest

I took it to another place, hid it well

Someone came out to kill the babies

They didn’t… because to this day they never found them

:)))

Photos/true poem owned, written by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/@grannygee

Vivid Imagination

A Vivid Imagination...

By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee  (Photos/story owned, written by me)



I was standing in the little group of people who were talking, laughing.  I could see everyone in front of me, to the side of me.

I felt someone tapping, touching the top of my head.  I turned around to look at who was doing it.  No one was there... no one was there!

I turned back around with a puzzled expression on my face.  'Skip, I felt someone touching the top of my head.  There's no one there.'

A friend of ours began to laugh, he said... 'you've really got a vivid imagination!'  You see, the day before I'd told him about the story I was going to write about 'being two eyes'... he really laughed about that.  (You can read about 'being two eyes' in my story 'You Are Totally Insane').

Well, in my defense... I do have a vivid imagination.  I think of things all the time... that no one else seems to ever think of.  It's fun sometimes to voice the ideas I have, to see the expressions of others, to hear them say 'I've never thought of that before!'  I agree with them sometimes saying the same thing!  :)))

It's like this idea I had while riding along the other day.  It was dark outside, the moon was shining... I could see a satellite, stars.

I began weaving a little story in my mind about the satellite, how it was anchored by some long invisible thread.  My imagination began to work....

I could see a movie beginning in my mind... someone tripped, got up, looked around to see what made him trip.  He never saw anything.....

I began thinking about the other world, how we can't see it.  Maybe when someone tripped... it was over something from the other world.  Something that can't be seen.

Maybe sometimes things we can't understand.... is from the other world.  I think about when we fall for no reason... did we trip over someone in the other world's feet?

See..... this is how my mind works.  It begins to make up stories, filling in blanks, making things connect and become... interesting.  I see people, begin weaving the fabric of colors to make up a life for them.

I wonder when we think we've misplaced something such as a pen, a piece of paper, a book... we can't find it because it isn't where we thought we put it.  Maybe 'someone' from the other world... the unseen world... moves it, not realizing they did.  Maybe we accidently move things that is theirs... not realizing we do.  :)))

I know sometimes if I'm drinking something... go back to drink more from the glass... it's empty.  How did it get empty... I know that I didn't drink it... I believe someone from the invisible world did!

I know you've experienced the same thing... wondered if someone got the rest of your drink... food because... you didn't remember doing it.  Did someone else do it... someone you didn't, couldn't see?  Who did it?

We Can't Take For Granted We'll See Each Other Again ...

 

My heart has hurt for the 3 guys who were killed in the scaffolding accident. They fell many feet.  Another guy landed on a port-a-john (outside toilet), and it may have saved his life.  He has broken bones, and other injuries, but ... he is still living.  My prayers go out for him, his family.  Also, my prayers go out to the families of the guys who died.

 

This happened yesterday, March 23, 2015.  I was listening to a Spanish guy talking about one of the men who died.  He had just eaten breakfast with his friend 3 hours before the accident.  He said his friend was working overtime, so he could go back to Honduras to his family who remained there.  Now ...

 

It makes me think we can't take for granted when our love ones leave each morning for work, school, on a trip.  We have to tell them we love them, hug them before they leave.  We may never see them again.  I know firsthand this is so true.  I lost most of my family, then my only child ... my son, Tommy.  I was so grateful I had hugged him, told him that his mama loved him with her very Heart.  I always told him.

 

I am so sorry for the families who had to learn their loved ones are gone.  I'm so sorry for the children, especially the man who had a little 3 year old boy.  My son, Tommy, had a 3 year old son.  He was playing with him that evening he walked into Heaven.  I can remember how his little son kept saying, "my daddy's up there", as he looked up to Heaven, pointing.

 

The scaffolding accident affected me.  I saw my step-father fall off a scaffold ... I was inside ... and saw him disappear.  He fell onto rocks below.  I ran to him, he had blood streaming down his face.  He was alright ... only bruised up.  I'm just so sorry this accident happened yesterday.

 

It does make one think to hug their loved one tight before leaving ... I did that today, when my husband left for a trip.  I hugged him very tight.  We know there's the possibility of never seeing each other alive, again.  We want the other to know we are loved very much.  

I'm so sorry for the men who died yesterday, and their families.  Also, for the man who survived the accident, and his family.  

 

Photos/article owned, written by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/ @grannygee

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More Than Words Can Say ...

More Than Words Can Say ...
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/@grannygee

How can I say thank you to mean more than thank you
Put into words how grateful I am more than I can say?

In your life, how many times have you felt grateful more than words can possibly say?  Have special things happened to you, unexpectedly?  Things you wouldn't have imagined possible?

Do you know how it feels to all of a sudden find out that somehow, your prayer has been answered? You sit, numbed by such gratitude, tears flowing down your face, more grateful than you can possibly say?  You begin crying, not knowing what to say?

Have you ever wondered how 'you' out of everybody could be so special for someone to do something so special for you?  Wondered what in the world someone could see in you to make you that special to them?

How can you say thank you to mean more than just thank you, put into words how grateful you are more than you can say?


Note by this author:

I know how it feels to not know how to say thank you when in my Heart, I 'feel more than thank you'. This is a feeling I tried to write in words ... this is the best I can do.  There's someone in this world I wanted to say this to, time after time ... it has never come out like it is in my Heart.  I'm saying these mere words once again ... THANK YOU.

Photos/words are owned, written by me ... Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/ @grannygee

Unseen Scar Struck Without Warning

Posted on March 24, 2015

Unseen Scar Struck Without Warning
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee

Gloria Faye Brown … age 6

Gloria Faye Brown … age 15  (I can see the deep pain in my eyes at the age of 15 … from the time I was age 6.  So, so much happened during those … years.  No one knew, I never told anyone.

I was walking, soon I would be passing through a doorway. I noticed a man who would be passing through the doorway at the same time as I. I didn’t mind at all.

Just as we both met in the doorway, the man jumped 3 feet back to the way he just came. Maybe in his way, he was thinking he was being polite … overly polite. He lit a fire he didn’t see coming.

It raged up, bright, furious. The man went into instant shock. He had met up with a firestorm like none he’d ever encountered.

Even I was stunned. I blew up instantly the very second the man jumped back when we both began to go through the doorway at the same time.

I became the Devil in Hell … “You go to Hell, you bastard”! I spoke it softly, snarling, sneering at him. “You just go to Hell, and burn, I hate you”!

No sooner than the ugly words came out of my mouth … I became calm again. That wasn’t my father who jumped back when we met in the doorway … this was a stranger.

I instantly apologized, quickly went my way. Why did I do that? I was humiliated. In my mind, the man became my father whom I lived with as a young girl.

My father was deathly scared of me … because if he even spoke to me, or smiled … showed kindness … my stepmother would make his life ‘pure hell’. He couldn’t afford that to happen.

My stepmother hated me with a pure hatred … because she hated, was jealous of my beautiful mother.

My daddy loved my mother until the day he died. He did tell me that, through the years … secretly. He used to secretly visit my mother … I don’t think my stepmother ever knew it. I sure didn’t tell her … but, it would have served my father right … if I had.

I was having a good day until the doorway incident … when one of my unseen scars struck out without notice.

Don't Let Your Dog ... be a Weekend Cowboy

Don't Let Your Dog ... be a Weekend Cowboy
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee

      

Kissy Fairchild ... our sweet Rottie.  Precious Camo (changed to Precious Camie).

When fur parents are at work all week … their dogs are at home resting, waiting for them to get home. All day long, these pets lay, sleep, eat … wait. This goes on for the whole week … and when the weekend comes … the fur parents take their dogs out to exercise, have fun. They become ... weekend cowboys!

Your dog has rested all week, while eating … probably putting on extra weight. He may be middle-age. He may be a big dog (though it happens to smaller dogs, also). You don’t notice all these things … you are only looking forward to giving your dog a good time on the weekend … so, he can get ‘good exercise’, have fun.

Too much fun all at once can cause serious injuries. Say, you took your dog to run, jump, romp, play at the park … you could come home with your dog, find that he is limping. That’s a warning sign you should take seriously. This can only become worse if … he has a ruptured cranial cruciate ligament.

A ruptured cranial cruciate ligament … is when the ligament ruptures between the tibia, and the femur. The ligament is a tough band of tissue connecting the two. When it ruptures, the joint becomes unstable, very painful to the dog. If left like that, it leads to degenerative joint disease which is arthritis. The dog begins to limp, and that puts weight, stress on the other leg, hip. That leg, hip could be the next ‘to go’. It’s best to seek medical help to prevent more problems.

Don’t let your dog be a … weekend cowboy. It could cause a serious injury to his legs. Protect your dogs by not over-feeding them until they are overweight … my husband and I have learned this. We don’t let our dogs be weekend cowboys … but, we are guilty of feeding them lots of tidbits from the table … causing excessive weight gain. One doesn’t really notice the weight-gain in dogs … we are happy just to be sharing … out of pure love for them.

Our two dogs love to run, play, jump. Our Rottweiler is a big dog, and he’ll be 5 years old on November 02, 2015. His name is Kissy Fairchild … he loves to run with the dog I rescued on July 04, 2013. Her name is Precious Camo (changed to Precious Camie). Kissy and Camie are happy dogs, have the most loving home. We are rich in love … not money.

Kissy injured his right, hind leg … ruptured cranial cruciate ligament … about a month, or so, ago. He began limping badly … laying down all the time. That wasn’t like him. We weren’t aware of this kind of injury with dogs … so, we thought he’d just simply get better. We were thinking his leg was sore maybe from hitting the side of the pet door when he and Camie ran out it, into their fenced-in yard.

It didn’t get better at all … we noticed he had to ‘hop’ on the left leg, not use his right leg any more than he had to. We knew he had to go to the vet. Our vet, Dr. David Fontenot (Louisburg Veterinary Clinic, Louisburg, North Carolina) diagnosed him. They have just scheduled Kissy’s surgery.

Kissy will have surgery on his right, hind leg on Wednesday, this week, March 25, 2015. He will have the procedure known as TTA (Tibial Tuberosity Advancement). The surgeon will use space-age titanium … this is lighter, thinner, stronger than stainless steel. It’s the newest procedure, considered the best for most dogs.

If you ever had a torn rotator cuff … you already have an idea of what it’s like. It can’t get well by itself … it had to be repaired by surgery. Our dogs aren’t weekend cowboys … they play all through the day, sometimes … playing too hard. Kissy and Camie both were overweight (they are on their diet, now :). As I read to gather more information … I became aware of ‘Weekend Cowboys’ … and thought while writing this article … I would include information about that. Why? Because I believe not everyone is aware of what ‘Weekend Cowboys’ means. I wasn’t.

I share this with you, so … you can be more protective of your precious dogs. If you have a dog, it means you are already a special, caring person. Like me, you want to know, be aware of anything that is good … bad … for your fur babies. So, be aware, when you have free time for your dogs … don’t let them ‘go wild like weekend cowboys’!

All photos of our dogs, article … are owned, written by me … Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/ @grannygee

Direct Cremation

Direct Cremation
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/@grannygee

If you can't afford the cost of a burial ... you may want to consider Direct Cremation.  This avoids all the costs of extras/frills that add up to hundreds, even thousands of dollars.  I don't know about you, but, my husband and I can't afford it.

We are choosing Direct Cremation, no viewing, no  ... anything but, the urn the ashes are placed in.  We are very private people ... we don't let people view us sleeping ... we don't choose for people to view us in death.  It's private.  You may feel differently.

Some of the things you don't have to buy, when going the route of Direct Cremation, are:

1)  Casket ... which can be very expensive
2)  No embalming (it isn't required for direct cremation)
3)  No charge for staff/facility 
4)  No charge for someone to come in to do makeup/ and hair
5)  No church or chapel fee
6)  No charge for viewing/visitation
7)  No fee for hearst, flower car, etc.
8)  Grave plot, mausoleum, grave/vault liner
9)  Opening/closing fee
10) headstone, grave marker

Another benefit of choosing Direct Cremation is that the remains/ashes are portable, meaning wherever you go, the cremains (remains) can travel with you, in an urn.

It would be wise to pay heed to the funeral home employees during this time of grief, pain.  You could end up with a nasty surprise if you don't.  Direct Cremation is inexpensive ... at this time, they will try harder to sell you ... "extras".

Don't finalize any funeral/cremation arrangement until you can fully understand what you are purchasing.  Ask for it all to be explain in easy-to-understand language.

Try to understand, this is a time you are upset, you could make costly mistakes.

You might want to remember this.  When you choose Direct Cremation ... embalming IS NOT required.  The reason I say to remember this is because funeral home employees will mention embalming ... how would you not know better?  This happened to my step-father ... he paid $895.00 more.  It was unnecessary ... my mother didn't have a viewing.  Even with viewing, it doesn't have to be done.

Another thing to remember is ... you DO NOT have to choose an expensive casket.  Choose instead, a less-expensive container called "alternative container".  An alternative container is a cardboard box ... I think they average in cost about $195.

This is another thing to remember:  there is a difference in costs when you choose either funeral home ... or crematory to handle the Direct Cremation.  It cost more for the funeral home to do it.  Read below.

Direct Cremation through funeral homes ... cost is approximately $1,600 and $3,000.  Costs can run upwards as high as $5,500 if you purchase a casket.  Instead, choose "alternative container".

Direct Cremation through Crematory ... is cheapest.  The average cost is $1,000 and $2,200.  If you cremate body in casket, of course the cost is going to be lots more.  The more extras ... the more fees you'll have to pay.  Instead, choose "alternative container".

There isn't any good reason to purchase a casket when doing Direct Cremation.  Choose instead, an alternative container (cardboard box).

To give you an idea of approximate costs of "extras" ... look at these fees:

$200 ... for hearse
$250     for the newspaper announcement
$1,500 ... or more, for casket
$500 ... viewing
$1,000 ... or more, for cemetery plot
$750 ... open/closing of grave site
$1,000 ... vault liner
$1,500 ... headstone, marker

Your most least expensive options are:

1)  donate your loved one to medical
2)  Direct Cremation
3)  immediate burial
4)  cremation with viewing, etc.
5)  traditional funeral

We are choosing Direct Cremation because of cost.  There's no reason, unless you have lots of money to spend ... want to spend ... for it to cost so much.  It can't go with your loved one.  We truly want to save the other as much money as possible ... for the one remaining, to live on.

Another positive thing about Direct Cremation is that it saves land for cemeteries; least expensive, and wherever one goes, the ashes are portable, can be carried easily.

Cremation does the same thing more quickly ... as being buried over time does ... the body decomposes and ends up as ashes.  

You Are Totally Insane ...

By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee

Skip and I were walking just the other day when I had this strange feeling.  Not only that, I began getting interesting thoughts that I'd never-ever thought about!  :)))

I was looking all around as we walked when... I began thinking of something so interesting, so crazy... so... 'I've never thought of before!'

For a short time I began to feel like I was 'all eyes'.... yes, literally 'all eyes'.  In fact, picture two eyes as big, tall as a person walking around... with little short legs, two little short arms!

Picture all of us looking like this.... walking around, looking at everything.  I was thinking that if we were 'all eyes'.... 'if I were all eyes'.... I could see so much!

I could walk, turn around and see a view from my toes to my head... I could 'see everything'.  I wonder if I'd be able to see farther?  My own two eyes see a lot when I look around.

I wonder if I were 'all eyes' ... and turned forty years old, and began to have a focusing problem.... how giant reading glasses would look? 

I think this is a interesting concept.... I couldn't wait to tell Skip my new thoughts.  As I related them to him... he stopped still, looked at me with a funny little smile, said in a very quiet voice, 'you are totally insane'........

Photos/story are both of, owned by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/ @grannygee/#grannygee

My Window to the World

By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee

Photo is of my desk, computer ... my window to this big, old world ... 

As I sit here looking in my window to the world

I think of all the things I can say, write

All the things I see, I can read

My computer means everything to me

Words, many words written, read

That describe happy, sad, angry, glad

Emotions of this big, old world

Emotions of... this one little person in it

My world, your world every day

My blog, your blog we monitor the pulse

We laugh, cry along with each other

As we write our joy, sadness out in millions of words

Blogging, writing my life, my imagination

Has become my way of life to show my colors

A way to keep Tommy's memory alive, mine

So, we all won't have lived for nothing

Each of us are important, each of us are a book

On the Shelf Of Life, waiting for someone to notice us

To remember us...  we all have lived for a reason

A purpose, though sometimes, we don't know what

Your words can touch me, mine can touch you

They can make me cry, make me laugh

My heart squeezes when it's touched deeply

Meaning something you said, did... was very special

I'll keep on writing all that I feel

Keep on reading all that you write

As we continue our journey in this Life

As I sit here looking in the window to the world

My Son Died A Beautiful Death ...

My Son Died A Beautiful Death ...
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/@grannygee

Tommy, and his little son, Taban.  Taban was Tommy's pride, joy.  Taban was 3 years old when his daddy died.  Tommy was 40 years old.  Soon ... May 29th will be here, again ... May 29, 2015 will make 5 years that Tommy has been gone.

I grieve in a different way now.  I don't stay distraught, upset like at one time.  I grieve in a very quiet, deep way ... the pain goes very deep ... my tears aren't seen anymore.  I grieve no less ... just deeper, quieter.  Very deep yet, grief is near to the surface, it can become a ... flash flood ... in a split second.

The date is wrong on this photo ... Taban wasn't born until March 16, 2007.  Tommy was so proud of his little son.  Taban loved his daddy.



Sometimes, I sit ... think of my son, Tommy.  I lost my son on May 29, 2010.  He was 40 years old. He unknowingly had 3 blockages to his heart.  He collapsed on the beach ... Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Tommy and his family had just arrived at their beachfront hotel that evening.  He and his little 3 year old son slipped off from the rest of the family to run down to the beach.

I can imagine the joy, excitement in their minds that evening.  They'd driven several hours to get to the beach, they had arrived safely.  Tommy had called me an hour or so, before to tell me they were only a few miles from the hotel.

It was Memorial Day holidays.  I had worried for their safety driving in the holiday traffic.  When Tommy called me, I was so relieved, happy ... I took a deep sigh of relief.  They were safe!  Thank God.  I could quit worrying.

"I'll call you back in a little while, Mom.  I love you".  Those were the last words he said to me.  "I love you, son.  I'm so glad you all got there safely".  Those were my last words to Tommy.

I went on about whatever it was I was doing that evening.  I stop to think ... what was I doing?  I've never remembered since that evening.  I keep seeing me coming in, out of darkness in disbelief ... and thinking, "I can't bear this, no! no! no!"

I remember softly asking Skip to help me, the pain hurt too bad, please get me to the hospital.  For the first time in my life ... I wanted, needed ... drugs.  Once that happened ... it was a long time before I came out of the darkness. Months, months turned into a year, two years ... the 3rd year I began to wake up.

Tommy and Taban ran off to the beach while everyone put the luggage on the cart to roll into the elevator.  Tommy's wife, his little son, and step-children, and mother-in-law had rooms reserved.

I will always wonder if Tommy had some kind of feeling to 'hurry, hurry' to get to the beach to play with Taban, his little son.  He was looking forward to doing that most of all.  Did he sense he had to do it while he could?  Did he sense he could die?

The reason I wonder is because he never took time to go up to the floor to their rooms.  I wonder because he made it just in time to run, play with Taban.

I wonder if somehow, he could have known how important it was to leave Taban that special memory?  Taban will grow up knowing his daddy was doing exactly what he wanted to do ... when he collapsed, died on the sand by the ocean.

Tommy was wanting to play with his little son for the first time, at the beach.  I remember his face glowing when he was telling me the evening before.

I look back into the past, to see ... feel ... search in my mind to sense what was in my son's mind.  Did he have a premonition?  I think how everything timed itself out ... 'perfectly'.  So strange ...

The phone rung, the caller ID showed Tommy was calling!  I began to smile, knowing he was going to tell me about him, Taban playing at the beach.  My mind couldn't comprehend what the strange voice was saying ... I remember asking the man why did he have my son's phone.

The stranger didn't know he was calling two hundred miles away ... calling Tommy's mother.  He went on to say, "ma'am, I have a man here, he's collapsed on the sand ... he's not breathing.

I died ... that night ... it took a long time to come back to ... life.  How many times have I sat, thought about that evening?  Imagined Tommy, Taban running, laughing, playing by the ocean?  Running up to the waves, letting them lick their toes?

I didn't know it then ... but, how many times does a person die doing exactly what they wanted to do?  How many people die not suffering?  How many people ... die a beautiful death?  I see it, now.

My son died a beautiful death.

Note by this Author:

That evening a group of people nearby were watching a tall, blonde-headed man run, play, laugh, squeal with a little blonde-headed boy who looked just like him.  It was a special sight ....

They were distracted for a moment, turned to look away.  When they looked back to the big guy, little guy ... they saw that the big guy was laying on the sand, his little son calling to him.

A man picked up the big guy's cellphone, called the last number dialed.  The big guy's mother answered on the other end ... her voice smiling, happy ...

Photos owned by me, true story written, owned by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/ @grannygee

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