Tom introduced me to Brian who turned into my best friend immediately. Little did I know how he felt at the time and I just felt safe with him. Tom, Brian and I were the three musketeers. We spent a lot of time travelling on weekends and drinking. Lots of drinking!!!
When I had met Tom, he was recovering from colon cancer. We developed a very close relationship and we were always there for each other in the 7 years that we had. We were each others confidant. Brian had been working for him for a while and the three of us had a chemistry that is so rare. (atleast it was for me)
Tom had lots of appointments and procedures and girlfriends ( oh- some of those girls...I could do an entire post on those girls he met!) but, it almost always came down to the three of us! We were there for each other. They showed up to my grandmother's wake and witnessed me having a complete laughing fit in the middle of it all - completely inappropriate - but uncontrollable!! Tom had hospital stays, we were there. Brian was/is always the rock!
So, after Tom finally got a clean bill of health, he got married. Then Brian and I got married. And then, everything started falling apart.
Tom's cancer came back with a vengence. It was awful. He had 2 beautiful girls and his wife had 2 amazing children as well ( a boy and a girl) and they had become quite the family. Brian and I were starting a great life together and then it all came down to him. Between Tom's wife and myself, we took care of him. When she needed to work, I took him to appointments and when she was able to, I still took care of the office work. But, by the end of the year 2003, new year's eve, it was the beginning of the end. The doctors gave Tom days to live. We were beside ourselves. Tom and his wife spent New Years' Eve in the hospital with a room on a high floor and a bed with a window. That's what I remember - them talking about how beautiful the view was because of the fireworks at midnight. They had made a decision. Home hospice.
There was no question as to what would happen next. Donna still had to work. They had nurses coming in every day. I moved in with them to take care of the kids and Brian came over every night after work. It was the longest 6 weeks.........
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