If you have read my blog before you may have seen my post about the volunteering that I do with my dog Otis.  He and I go weekly to visit a senior’s residence in the city.  While we visit about a half dozen seniors there is one special lady who makes the experience pure joy.  Despite being 101 years old she didn’t show any signs of dementia – we would talk about everything – what trouble my dogs got in to this week, the problems I had with the racoons in the yard (I was going to tell her about the two giant ‘coons that were just wandering in the yard this morning in broad daylight), she even remembered I had started something new at work and asked me how it was going.

Today I raced to the home – I try to get there just as she is finishing dinner so that I can take her to her room for our visit. Otis travels in her lap as I push the wheelchair – as I was about to check the dining room to see if she was still there one of the residents called me over to tell me she passed away this morning.  She had been battling a flu for weeks but last week she seemed to be getting better and I wasn’t as worried about her as I was two weeks earlier.

Sadly, I was supposed to visit yesterday but got delayed getting home and figured I would go see her today.  I never got to say good-bye to my dear friend.  My friend who remembered my birthday when I forgot hers (she was June 19 and I am the 20th) despite being 100+.  My friend who always lit up when she saw me and my dog and was happiest with Otis in her lap on her way to her room to play.  My visits won’t ever be the same.