Swimming with Angels

Last night, after returning from wining and dining along the beach, I sat on my bed to Facebook Sue.  Sometimes, if the wifi is just right, I can Facebook and IM, but anything else is definitely too much to ask.

She'd left a fairly urgent sounding message, asking if we could talk.  Since Mt Auburn Hospital had actually been able to get through with a good connection the night before to inform me I owed them $16, I tried an actual phone call to her.  The 1st time I hung up before it went to voice mail.  Since it was nearing midnight here, and 1 in the afternoon there, I figured, correctly, she was at lunch.  I waited a few minutes and called back, and voila!  Connection!

It was indeed urgent, unpleasant news.

Starting last February, many of you may remember, my Aunt Marcia made many trips to Boston's Dana Farber for cancer treatment, and stayed with us for about 2 months of that time, before getting accommodations at the Hope Lodge.  (Our house with its bathroom on the 3rd floor, and kitchen on the 2nd was not well-suited for someone undergoing rigorous cancer treatment.)

Marcia's health was declining.  I knew that she'd admitted to the Mars Hill care unit because she was getting weaker.  Sue filled me in on the rest of the progression and prognosis.  It was bleak.  She was not expected to survive the weekend.

We talked for about 25 minutes, about the family, plans, whether I should call.  IF I could call.  In the end, I am in Thailand.  Dad was going to be there around 6 p.m., which would be 5 a.m. my time.  There's not a helluva lot that I could do from here.  From Boston for that matter.  Things were beyond my control.

We hung up, and, in my Joe Boxer moose-print boxer short pajamas and lime green tank top, I walked out of my bungalow to the center of the courtyard and looked up to the stars.  I had a few moments of quiet, just watching them and wishing her a peaceful journey.  Thinking of her friends and loved ones who have gone before her, my Aunt Alyce, her husband Bob, her friend Tressa, my grandparents.  Kind of asking them to come greet her and help make the journey easy.

This morning I woke up, and IM'ed my cousin Kelly who works at the facility where Marcia was to see if she would do me a "mega huge favor," because I was sure I'd missed Dad & his cell phone visiting Marcia.  I asked Kelly if she would go tell Marcia I loved her, and that I was thankful for the time Sue, Buster & I had with her last year.  That was sending her my best, all the way from Thailand.

I'd no sooner sent that message and I got another IM from Sue, updating me, letting me know she'd passed away during "my night."  Dad had tried to call Sue from his cell so he could put the phone to Marcia's ear, so Sue could say goodbye, because they had grown so very close last year, but Sue missed the call.

I sat by the computer hut where the pitiful wifi is strongest at my inn, and burst into tears.  Fellow volunteer Tripp had just sat down with his laptop - I was behind him.  He turned around to an odd sight and came over and hugged me.  Along my morning, all the people at the dive school were wonderfully consoling.  Fellow student diver John, Spencer, the young Canadian getting his rescue diver creds, Sabrina, my German diving instructor, and the EMP Divers.  

Again, I had no control over the situation, so I surrendered to routine.  I went to the lecture.  We had a big task for the day.  The very top row of concrete blocks, akin to Jenga blocks, are reached when diving about 7.3 m.  We were going to epoxy the top level with a variety of unsecured recruits.  Some teams immediately went with a hammer and chisel to ding footing holes for the epoxy to sit in while gripping coral.  Coral will over time; grow over the epoxy and cling & grow on the concrete on its own accord.

My team, with Tripp, was sent to a shallow area, at a natural 7 m, to collect a variety of unsecured recruits and coral fragments.  

The dive was wonderful.  The water was clear, the corals were beautiful, the fish were abundant and colorful.  It was serene and peaceful.  From my classes, I am getting better at identifying fish.

Red-breasted wrasse.  

Longfin banner fish.

Butterfly fish.

Parrotfish.

Angelfish....