I have some bad news to report tonight folks. In the early hours of this morning, 2a.m. British Summer Time of 24th June, 2006, my father pased away in the Marie Curie Hospice in Glasgow.

As you can all imagine, this was a bit of a shock to all of us. Dad didn't have a particularly good thursday night, and had been put on oxygen and nebulisers on friday morning. However, when I went to see him with my sis and mum on friday evening, he seemed to be pulling round and although not entirely "with it", he knew we were there.

We left him at about 8 p.m., thinking we'd pop back in the morning. I barely got home when the nurse phoned to say "get back here pronto". When we arrived, we were told (and could see) his breathing had deteriorated again. We sat with him for over 3 hours, and decided at well after 11p.m. that as no changes had happened, he'd be OK til this morning. My mum was utterly exhausted, so it was a no-brainer really. Come 02:10.... nurse phones, dad pased away five minutes ago. Very peaceful, and two nurses were with him as he passed.

I wish it had been me with him, as does my sister, and my mother. Such is life. As we start to make all the arrangements for his funeral service etc., I mourn the passing of a very brave and self-contained man, a man I am proud to call my father.

God bless all of you who ahve prayed for my father and my family - my sincere thanks go out to you all.

I'll see you all soon

DM

__________________
The selfish, they're all standing in line
Faithing and hoping to buy themselves time
Me, I figure as each breath goes by
I only own my mind