Hello everyone, as I say, where to begin?
Firstly, well done again to Natalie, and the rest of you who have put a smile on mine and everyone else's faces this week no doubt, 'Butlins meets Colditz', a perfect analogy. I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking this, but I reckon that some of these stories and anecdotes would make a great little book about our 'Lives on Mars'. And Natalie seems to be the one who's handiest with the pen.....it's just a thought.
Now the difficult bit, Mark has grown steadily weaker and weaker as this last week has passed. He is pretty much sleeping most of the time and communicating very little now. It is the intention to increase his medication in order to keep him sedated so that he is not in any more pain. Although the staff at the Hospice dont say, I think it's very difficult to judge, but I sense that Mark is coming to the end of this awful journey. I already feel a massive sense of loss, as Mark has'nt been at home for over two weeks now, and our world at home is empty without him.
It's true what they say, you dont know just what you have until it is gone, and I certainly did'nt. There's a song that always did make me cry a little bit -Cherish- by Kool and the Gang. Listen to the words, and do what it says, 'Cherish the love we have, cherish the life we live'. Do these things, because you never know when fate will snatch it away from you, take nothing for granted.
I'm sorry this is so sad, but it just how I feel right now.
For now, love to you all
Wendy xxx
Wendy
ReplyDeleteThere's so little I can say to comfort you and your lovely kids at this time, but clearly Mark has been in the thoughts and prayers of myself and so many others that he truly is, and always will be a much-loved and admired man with a great zest for life.
Kind wishes
Mark Brown
Hi Wendy
ReplyDeleteIt is always difficult to find words to say. Please give Mark our love and thoughts. He is a true gentlemen, friend and I feel honoured to know Mark. I know that I speak for many people when I say that any occasion was much better and brighter when Mark was around.
I was with the lads at the weekend, sean, wayne, Brian, Mike etc and they all mentioned Mark and the good times that we all remember and cherish.
Take care and you are continually in my thoughts and prayers.
Tim
hi wendy all our love is with you all at this very difficult time it has been great getting to know mark through the blog and also to reconnect with you i wish there were magic words but for now we send a million hugs and kisses xxxxxxxxx
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy, Andrea and I are so sorry to hear the latest news. But Beau is obviously in the best place, where he can be kept as comfortable and pain free as possible. The inner strength you and the kids have shown is amazing. You can rest assured that all of Beau`s friends and colleague`s are praying for you all at this awful time.
ReplyDeleteAlways in our thought. John & Andrea XX
Wendy
ReplyDeleteThank you for having the courage and taking the time to keep us up dated. I can’t imagine how difficult that last post was to write.
Although we (Allison and I) are deeply saddened, we talk a great deal about the happy times between 1982 and 1986 when Mark was a much-loved part of our lives, both at work and socially.
The acceptance of the inevitable is hard to come to terms with and it brings with it sadness and an overwhelming sense of loss. Natural though this is, I am sure the man I knew back then would have disapproved.
Hard though it will be, we are going to try and celebrate the life of a man whom, I am proud to have worked with, was a joy to know and an honour to have called friend.
For me the words in your last post are particularly poignant, because, for years I let a close friendship lapse when I should have nurtured it. In the future I am going to aspire to follow your advice and ‘cherish’ that which brings us greatest comfort, friendship and love.
Our thoughts are with you, Mat and Gracie. We sincerely hope you continue to find the remarkable strength and dignity you have shown while having to bare this onerous burden life has placed on you.
With love to the three of you
Gary and Allison
Wendy,
ReplyDeleteJust can't find any words that are adequate at a time like this. Your families strength and dignity shines through in such a sad time.
Take care and God Bless, our thoughts are with you all.
Vinny
Hi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteI am so saddened by the news today about marks health,and thanks for keeping us all updated it can’t be easy.
I have been looking at our wedding album when mark was our best man (what a great job he did that day) those memories will be treasured forever.
Our love and prayers go out to you all.
Love Bernie, Tim and Edward.xxx
Wendy,Matt and Gracie,
ReplyDeleteGosh,what does one write at this juncture? please forgive me for comparing your situation with a one my family and I faced when my mother was taken from us by the awful reality that is cancer.For days before we lost her for good she too was heavily sedated for the same reasons as Mark.Although we were grateful in one way for the sedation..we only saw brief glimpses of "our mum" thereafter, but one moment I will treasure till the day our maker comes for me was when completely out of the darkness of the sedation,after days of silence when we thought for all intents and purposes she had gone,she somehow mustered the strength to speak these 4 words in the presence of me and my siblings:
"stop talking about me"
Coincidence?..a dream? We' ll never know...but..It was an amazing moment which brought ridiculously ill timed laughter from us all.
My message is keep telling Mark anything and everything you ever wanted him to hear!
Stay strong
Lee J.
Hi Wendy, Matt, Grace and of course Mark - I think there are no real words of comfort I can give - the pain you feel is real for the man you love.
ReplyDeleteA small passage from Hamlet keeps coming into my my thoughts - "May Flights Of Angels Sing Thee To Thy Rest," somehow, when we know, that there is nothing more to be done but to love someone with all your heart and ask that they are kept pain free and comfortable, these few words say so much.
Gail and Glyn x
Hi Mark, Wendy, Matt and Grace It was very nice to see you all at the Howfener sorry to hear the recent news, all our love and prays are with you all, keep strong.
ReplyDeleteBrian and Family xx
Hi Mark, Wendy and family, I said at the Howfenner that I would post some memories of the Street Thefts days when I got back on line so here goes.
ReplyDeletePicture the scene, yours truly and Beau are in the Tempra, the day after he returns from holiday, about this time of year. He jumps in with a cassette of new music, to play whilst we tour round looking for targets, out blasts 'White Christmas, Oh the weather outside is frightful etc' so that "I'm ready for Christmas" says our hero. By the end of October I never wanted to hear that tune again!As soon as we resumed after the New Year break he appeared with another which blasted the Beach Boys and other surfing tunes right through the frost and snow until Easter.
There was a party at Beau and Wendy's for New Year, I turned up with false tattoo's on my neck (dont ask) Beau persuades me to keep them on until the day we return to work, Insp Marshall walks in and greets the troops, who as usual are arguing about who will be first to freeze their nads off in the OP. Less than a minute later he is having an full blown eppie at me for getting the tats whilst Mark is stuffing a glove into his mouth to stop the giggles before falling off his chair.
Losing count of the number of times we did a runner from the Turner Street curry house when the earpiece bleated ' two targets coming onto the plot from' and returning half an hour later to find the meal boxed and ready.
The first day Dave Sutcliffe worked the OP on his own, he says a likely pair are approaching the plot, Mark asks if we know them, 'No' comes the repy 'but they will be bang at it any minute now', 'how so' says Beau. 'Beacause' says Suttie 'they've both got a ManCro walk'. I swear we were both laughing that much we nearly took out a score of pedestrians as we sped towards the strike. The term stuck and the whole team knew that a new catch phrase had been born.
Thinking of you all,
Chris
Chris, thanks for those memories, they brought back a time when Matt was born 16yrs ago. I believe I was pregnant with him at that party you mentioned - and dressed as 'Andy Pandy', and I do remember your attire!
ReplyDeleteThey were very happy times.
Mark is still very poorly. It's heartbreaking to see him, but I know he is still the same on the inside if not the outside.
Its remarkable what happiness simple pleasures bring. I managed to get him all wrapped up on Sunday morning, when the sun was shining down, and took him for a ride around the garden at the hospice, it was wonderfull. We exchanged a few sentimental words, and the memory will stay with me, so few are these precious times now.
Enough gush, love to you all,
Wendy & Mark xxx
hi wendy matthew and grace a truly sad day my thoughts are with you at this time i will never forget mark i will always remember him as life and soul of all our good times together all our love sean and mia x
ReplyDelete