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04 Dec 2007
Aunty Joan
Current mood: miserable

On the 11th of August I put up a blog about my Aunty. She's been sick for a while. On Sunday the 25th of November, I was playing guitar hero III (I had just beaten the devil on Easy) and I got a phone call from mum, the content went something like "Aunty Joan is back in hospital she is on ventilation, she overdosed." All I could think was this was different from the previous times.
On the Tuesday I cried in the library while researching the PLS4.
On the Wednesday mum called to say she was flying down to Melbourne the next morning.
On the Friday mum called to say she was getting better on her own after minimal medication.
On the Sunday mum called in the morning and told Rhys that my Aunty had died in the night on Saturday. I heard the phone ring, I knew who it was, I knew what had happened, I pretended to be asleep when Rhys stuck his head in the door. I got up 20 minutes later and silently had breakfast while trying to brace for the news Rhys had to give. He told me so gently that I would have laughed at his use of language if I hadn't been crying. We went to lunch at his mum's place, when I told his mum and Clare, they were so lovely. Rhys's mum was great, she's like a second mum to me. She gives great hugs. She told Rhys to take good care of me and give me extra cuddles.
Mum called again Sunday night. She didnt think Rhys could ever tell me such bad news. She told me that since arriving in Melbourne she had done for Aunty Joan what she has done for me so many time before during my hospital stays. She grabs a chair and sits by the bed. Only leaving to get food or go to the bathroom. She'll eat in the chair, sleep and read books. Its good to know that mum was with my Aunty when she died, apparently mum was reading, looked up and the machines showed that Aunty Joan had died.
Mum explained that during her stay Aunty Joan was awake at some stage, but had had a stroke, so she couldn't speak. Mum had taken a photo of me and Addie on Aunty Joans porch from when we were younger, mum says showing this to her had made her laugh.
Mum promised to find me something of Aunty Joans that I can keep. If its a ring or necklace, I'll keep in with my Grandma's white gold ring (mum's mum, she died when I was 7).
Mum said to be strong and not send flowers or anything like that, flowers just die too. Pledger-Dennys are strong.
I'm trying to be strong, I feel worse for my mum, she's lost both parents and both sisters.
My Aunty was so different to my mum, mad as a cut snake, a trouble maker if you will. Married 3 times and finally deciding to stay not married to her defacto that I know as Uncle Gavin. On my last visit she adviced Rhys and I to stay not married too. She grew pot in the backyard. She spoilt us. She had a fashionable womanly way about her that mum will never have, she knew makeup and clothes and hair. She was asked to give me direction when I wouldn't listen to mum. Her home was decorated in mostly black and white with some red. She had a dog named Ninja. She had two daughter and a grandchild.
I think she was proud of me.
I think she liked Rhys, who she got to meet in August. I'm so glad she got to meet him. If it was not for my cousins 21st, they never would have met. Its hard enough to think that she wont ever be at my wedding, shaking her head and calling me an idiot.
My Aunty has been pretty unwell for years, about 5 years ago she spoke to me about her and Uncle Gavin driving to QLD in their yellow Ferrari. She said she'd bring just one summer dress and drive up with the hood of the car down. She got pretty sick not long after saying that. She never did get to QLD.