Keeping it Real

Hello..my name is Patrick. Rachael was my best friend and I miss her madly. Our children miss her too.

Rachael was diagnosed with endometrial cancer April 9 2018. In the early hours of July 16 2018, Rachael slipped away from us.

we spent the night with her in the hospital. Our son had just turned 10 a few days earlier whilst our daughter was to turn 14 only days after her Mums funeral.

I frequently ask myself.. is this the best you got?...step up man!.. finish crying and get back in the kitchen!!.. . But I am also reminded by kind and empathetic people, that I must be kind to myself. It really is necessary if healing is to begin.

I must honour my beautiful friend with living well and not wasting time.. not missing opportunities that we are all sometimes blind too. I feel this tragedy has opened my eyes given me more clarity to what is real, to what I value.

This has not always been the case as we have moved through this grief and trauma. How can it ever be easy.. what to say when the end feels near? Not only to each other.. but to your kids? You at home with the kids.. her in a hospital bed..night after night.

Apart from it being terribly sad, I feel so very privileged to have been present in Rachael’s life journey.. we met on an adventure in lands far away...best of friends we became...and a rich life we led.. Rachael’s love-I believed 💖🙏