Gone Way Too Soon

My dear friend Debi celebrated her 49th birthday in March; today I mourn her passing. Two weeks ago she was diagnosed with Stage IV Liver Cancer and was supposed to go for her first oncology visit yesterday, Monday. Instead, she was admitted to the hospital on Sunday for what was thought to be pneumonia. This morning I asked her sister how Debi was doing and said I was thinking of them and hoped Debi was kicking pneumonia's ass. Annie said that they weren't sure it was pneumonia anymore and were awaiting test results. Debi died half an hour later; they still aren't sure what exactly happened.

I never met Debi in person but she was one of my best friends. I met her through a mutual friend, Joe, one of my best guy friends and the godfather of my children. Debi and Joe had dated in high school; she was his first real love. I was picking on Joe on Facebook one day a few years ago when Debi chimed in and we started conversing. We became friends almost immediately and held that bond. We talked on the phone or texted back and forth to gripe, to laugh, to cry, to share family stories, and to pick on Joe. :)

There were very few days that went by that Debi and I didn't talk on Facebook. Most days we conversed whether by posting on each other's walls, responding to each other's posts, or messaging. We both had an extreme dislike for the way the English language is butchered on a daily basis by people who misspell common words, use incorrect grammar, or speak in text lingo. We were constantly sharing stories and posts about it and then joking about them.

Both of us also have kids with dad issues; we've both lost our parents; we've both been burned by government systems, and we've both got a sarcastic sense of humor. We'd never deliberately hurt anyone with our words, but we were quick to jump in and support one another when someone took offense to whatever we may have said. We were alike in many ways and understood what each other struggled with on a daily basis; and we did our best to support one another through whatever the current struggle may have been even though we lived 1800 miles apart.

I'll miss talking to her about whatever, sharing posts with her, getting videos and pictures of her cats and kittens that she loved so very much. I'll miss her laughter and her sarcasm and having her just being there for me when I needed her. I'll miss having her to turn to whenever someone uses the wrong form of they're/their/there or misspells 'supposedly'. And I'll miss being there for her when she wanted to vent about a grumpy customer or share a funny story of one of her kids or grandchildren.

I'll miss her. I do miss her. Debi left behind two sisters, four children, three grandchildren and loads of friends; all of whom loved her dearly. I'm one of them. She was taken from us way too soon and I'm heartbroken for her family and friends; but at least I know she's not in any more pain and that she's happy and with her parents once again.

Thank you, Debi, for being there for me. Thank you for making me laugh and for supporting me through my ups and downs. Thank you for loving me and for sharing your life and family with me; and for allowing me to share mine with you. I'll love and miss you always. Thank you for being a friend.

Until next time...peace to all.