6 July 1995

Hello Friends

We all know about 15 April '82, but I have not told you about 6 July '95 yet.

That is the day my Mum( Tannie Pompie) passed away. She was a diabetic for a very long time, and those of you that met her would remember her being a chain smoker too.

We moved to the coast Jan '94.My sister Olivia and her family went to live in Hentiesbay and I came to live in Swakopmund. On Olivia's invite and insistance she went to live with them in Hentiesbay. I cant recall how long she lived there, but it wasn't very long, I dont think 6 months, when she moved back in with me. We came a long way and understood each other best of all.

She moved in and shortly after that she started to fall into diabetic comas. After one very bad one where she was in the coma for quite a long time she just stopped walking. I tried everything to get her to walk, so did my sisters, but to no avail.

She spent a long period in the hospital over new years of '94.
She deteriorated very fast after that, and became totally bedridden. She lost a lot of weight and her health became worse by the day.

The night of the 5th of July was a nightmare. When I came from work I could see she was not well. My eldest sister Retha and her family came around to visit her. They live in Swakop aswell. We all sat in her bedroom, she was laying down, she allways sat up in bed when she had visitors, but that night she was too poorly. We all tried to make jokes, that's allways been our way of dealing with stress and hardship. She didnt say much in all the time they were there, all I can remember her saying was to tell my sister to look after me.

After they have gone I tested her glucose levels, and it was even higher than earlier that evening. We didnt sleep that night, she was restless and I brought myself a matress in and tried to sleep but couldn't. By 5 the next morning I had her ready to go to hospital. I called the docter who told me to take her to hospital. The ambulance came to pick her up and by 7 she was in hospital and I felt better, even relaxed a bit.

Around 8 I left her in the capable hands of the hospital staff and went home, and then to work. I opend up my business and saw that everything was going well and went back to hospital. When I arrived there she was in a coma again.I sat with her until my sister arrived and the doctor took us out to tell us this was to be the end. The hospital sister came rushing in to call the doc and he told me sit with her and hold her hand. At around 9.30 the morning of the 6th of July 1995 I lost my mother and the world lost a legend. I can't bring her flowers anymore, but I can make sure she lives on in our hearts and memories forever.

I love you Mum!! And miss you everyday.