mom and dad update for you "old" and new people

Those of you who may have followed my blogging exploits from Beginner Triathlete (where I found that I really suck as an amateur athlete, but I'm a pretty good writer of pointless blog shit, and I was one of the Top 20 most viewed blogs on there. It was hard to leave, but, let's just simply say I  had serious personal issues that got me interested in triathlon for the wrong reasons. Too much pressure and why put pressure on yourself if you suck at something and will continue to suck no matter how much effort you put in and you're not having a damn bit of fun - but, there are some super de dooper people on BT, too) to Facebook (whose Notes function really sucks mole rat dick and isn't nearly as good as the blogging function marma has built into BT...

btw, this is a mole rat)

May be aware that I lost my Dad to a stroke caused by decades of congestive heart failure in June (he was 75), and two weeks later, Mom was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. She tried therapy to stave off the inevitable, but her immune system just wasn't up to it, and she passed on New Year's Eve.

Although Dad died partially paralyzed and unable to talk because of the stroke, he died in his sleep - with dignity - and on his own terms. He did not want to linger on disabled, not in his home, and on some form of life support. Mom also went out on her own terms - in no pain, peacefully, in her sleep, in her own home and surrounded by friends and relatives. In fact, she woke up and asked for water about 20 minutes before she died.

In both cases, I arrived from California the day before each of them died. Mom was still cognizant and able to speak when I arrived, but declined quickly after that. She bled out from the cancer most likely attacking her internal organs (it had spread from her lungs to her spine and the back of her skull).

I'm the only child and heir (not that this is terribly important, merely a point of information) and I'll write more about how I feel about the entire situation later, because, between that, dealing with the fallout of my 2nd divorce in '08, moving to California, and having my 10 and 8 year olds move to Connecticut with their mother last fall - well, sportsfans, I have a lot of fresh steamy lifeshit on my plate to deal with. But, strangely, with their passing - while I am sad, and I will miss them terribly - I feel relieved. A tremendous burden has been lifted from my shoulders.