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My Dearest Friend Jeff

2004-03-08 @ 12:01 p.m.

Found out some horrible news today when I came in to work. Well, my friend Jeff that I work with has been sick for quite some time now. In December he got very sick with pneumonia and was out for over a week. Since then he has been really sick, he's been in the hospital for over 2 months now, and was in ICU for over a week. One of his lungs had collapsed. Well, today we found out that in a matter of the next day or two we will lose Jeff. There is nothing else that they can do for him. He had a very rough weekend this past weekend of being in so much pain. His collapsed lung will not recover and everything else is starting to fail. They have him on meds right now to keep him comfortable. His mom flew in a week ago from Florida and said that when he passes, he will be cremated and taken back to Florida to be buried next to his father. His brothers and sister flew in over the weekend to say their good-byes and left yesterday. Jeff has lost his teeth, his eyebrows, and his hair. We were told that it's complications from the pneumonia, but I feel that there is more, but, I don't intend on pushing the issue.

Jeff knows I love him dearly, he's a wonderful person and it's sad to see this happening to him. He's only 2 years older than I am and it's so scary knowing that someone that you know that is around your age is passing. The last time I went through this was when Tony, a friend of mine and Paul's passed. He was the same age as I am. Maybe a year or two younger.

Jeff knows that I so wanted to come and visit him in the hospital, quite a few of us wanted to, but, he refused to let anyone see him, or even call him. His second lung is starting to fail now, along with his kidneys and his liver.

It's a quiet day here at work today with many tears. Jeff is the head of my department and mine and Jenn's bingo partner. Before Jeff went into the hospital he was supposed to go with Jenn and I to Blackhawk, unfortunatly, that was the same weekend that he was rushed to the ICU unit.

Jeff refuses to be on life support any longer, he knows that he will be in God's hands very soon. He told his best friend last week that he's scared, then two days later he said that he isn't scared anymore that he made peace with God and knows that things will be ok. Jeff is not one that is very religious, but, now, his insights have changed. He will be joining his father soon. His father whom he was very close with.

I broke down this morning when I heard the news of how bad it has become. Friday I knew something was horribly happening when I saw Suzette, Jeff's best friend crying in the hallway, but, I knew it wasn't the right time to ask how things were.

So, today is a difficult day for our department as well as those that are friends with him as well that aren't in our department. Jeff has always been there for me since I've been in this office, and the last few days that he was here at work, I was there for him. Despite the rumors that were going around about him being sick. Everyone was afraid to be near him or talk to him or anything besides myself. I will truly miss him dearly. This is difficult to accept right now.

Much Love,

~V~


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