I am sitting here trying to believe this terrible news.....

[greatauntoftriplets]

and am feeling a disconnect from not thinking it will go away. But it won't.

Mostly I am remembering Christmas Day, me sitting here at the computer...Andy lying on the bed and taking a well-deserved nap. And saying how good it felt to have some time to sleep, rest and kick back.

Andy, thanks so much for spending Christmas with my family.

[Bobbie47]

1. From me to you

a big internet hug...


:hug:

Bobbie

[Wetzelbill]

2. oh wow, you about choked me up...

that was really beautiful. I'm sure he loved it as much as you did.

YOu'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

[tavalon]

3. I am completely there

I'm a complete shocked zombie. He was supposed to get out of the hospital and then we were going to coordinate the various things that people had sent through me, for him. I have two gift certificates for Whole Foods and one for PCC. I was going to fill a basket with fruit and put the certificates with the fruit.

I have these things that I collected for Andy and had even hired someone to cook some meals for him when he got out.

It just never occurred to me that he wouldn't survive this hospital admission. This was just the start of an epic, and it seemed at the time, a winnable war.

I talked to you on the phone a couple of times trying to coordinate the food baskets and then you were in the hospital. How I wish my schedule would have allowed me to bring one of the baskets to you in the hospital.

Andy, you are good people and we are the poorer at your passing.

[greatauntoftriplets]

4. Thanks for all you have done for Andy....

but that wasn't me you talked to. I live in Chicago and have not been in the hospital.

Yes, we are poorer now....

[tavalon]

8. My posts are nearly incoherent right now

the person I was talking about talking with was Andy. One of the first times I called, he was on hold with Mike Malloy and said he would call back after. He didn't call but I suspected that he had used up all of his strength on the call with MM so I didn't call back that night. But the following afternoon we talked and he sounded very tired so we just went over quickly what sorts of food would be best for him. Then the gift certificates started to come and I had planned to make him a fruit basket, Just after that I found out he was in the hospital but would be out in a few days so I held the basket. When it looked like he would be there a while I put out feelers about whether I could bring it to the hospital. It didn't seem to make much sense at that time. So the next plan was to get a new fruit basket , the old one having gotten ripe, to give him when he got out next week. Damn it, I wish I had gone to see him, with or without that stupid fruit basket.

I wish I could have met him. I hurt as though I already did.

[greatauntoftriplets]

9. I know the feeling....

Sorry you didn't get to meet him either.

[Amaya]

5. I am so sorry

Just read this. No, I didn't know Andy well, but when I did speak to him on here, he was always a decent and kind man.

What a loss. He was so young and it isn't fair.

[In_The_Wind]

6. I'm so sorry

I haven't stopped crying since 5:30 yesterday.



:hug: to Termite

[coffeenap]

7. Me too. Dear son and I are with you.

[Sannum]

10. I never met Andy in person, but I feel his loss so much.

I was so optimistic that after the surgery and a round of treatment, he would be back full speed ahead. I thought this because I had to, and where there is life, there is hope. I have witnessed miracles in life before. I was hoping this would have been another one.:cry:

Termite, if there is anything you need, we are here:hug: We are a family here at DU.

[liberalnurse]

11. My heart is broken.....

We all have lost a brother! I don't want to deal with this at all.

[KG]

12. andy is gone.

and keph, and nostamj. :(


and yet, dick cheney is still alive.

there is no god.

[In_The_Wind]

13. .

[arwalden]

14. Losing A Friend Is Very Sad And Difficult...

... I'm sorry you're hurting.

Love, Allen

[progmom]

15. .

:hug:

I'm sorry for your loss.

We all share it with you.

[GOPisEvil]

16. I had Andy as a guest in my home too.

Let's just say there are certain things that I will never look at the same way again.

[Debbi801]

17. You were a great friend and he cared about you a lot...

He was a wonderful man. I know that my life has changed having spent time with him. I wish there were more people like him in this world.

:hug:

Debbi