[Canela]

Originally Posted by girlblue

I've never posted anything in the forums before, and I haven't spent time on this site since meeting Charlie, but I had a feeling one of the folks on her list to call was a member here and might post the news. I see I was right.

I met Charlie last summer, first on this site, and later in person. I never thought I would meet someone from the internet--gasp!--but lo and behold...

These last six months have been alternately hellacious and beautiful. Hellacious because not much is worse than watching someone you love lie in a hospital bed, having pain, then getting a little bit better, then falling down again. But beautiful too in that I was blessed to spend almost every day by her side.

This last week was transformative. I sat by her bedside, holding her hand like she asked me to do, as she faded from this world. I can tell you she died in peace and was made comfortable in her final days. She lost consciousness Tuesday night and her heart stopped beating on Thursday.

She was precious. She was loved. By me, by many of you I see. I wish I had known her longer, but I feel I couldn't have known her better. Our time was profound, our conversations varied and deep. We had fun. We went places and did things. We laughed. We cried. We argued and made up. She was many things to me, but at the end of the day, at the heart of it all, she was my friend. My very dear friend. Canela, I hope to meet you at the service. I, along with her friend of 35 years, spent yesterday making the arrangements. Charlie had asked that in lieu of flowers, anyone who can should make a donation to the kidney disease or cancer charity of your choice.

Please message me if you'd like more details about the service. Once we have the obituary posted online, I will try to put the link here (if that's possible).

My heart is full, if not broken. I was lucky in that I left nothing unsaid, and as far as I know, neither did she. Charlie made me know how much she loved me, right up to the end. What an honor, a blessing, and a gift to be there, to know her, to love her. I will miss her. Something terrible. And I will always, always hold her dear.

I'm so very glad to see you here. And I'm so happy that we will finally have a chance to meet. He loved you very much. You made him very happy. You were exactly the angel he'd been waiting for. I look forward to meeting you and M and others who loved him. Bless you, love. Canela