Halloween greetings.....pre-PSP gig....2nd... - PSP Association

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Halloween greetings.....pre-PSP gig....2nd try.

enjoysalud profile image
22 Replies

I did it!!! This is the missing photo.

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enjoysalud profile image
enjoysalud
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22 Replies
raincitygirl profile image
raincitygirl

What a great smile! How you must miss him...

Hopefully he's smiling at you...But only if you go to his grave on Nov 2 with marigolds and a good picnic meal, right? ❣️💞

Anne G.

enjoysalud profile image
enjoysalud in reply to raincitygirl

Aha, a chance to share that my son was not buried under the ground. The tradition, since my mom died, is to cremate. For me, I love that I will not be taking up space on earth.

Anyway when my son died (how I wish I had donated his brain, but such was not the case. I did not plan well and I guess I never accepted/expected that my son would die so soon). ANYWAY, I looked for a spreading garden near my home (ashes are spread around in a garden), but could find none. I asked myself what would give me comfort and what Jeff, my son, would have wanted?

My dad had served in the Army Air-corp during WW2. There was no Air Force during WW2, but evolved from the air corp. My sister and I decided that my dad would have liked (his 2nd choice because the Veteran memorial cemetery in WLA was full) to have his ashes dropped from a plane over Santa Monica/Venice. My father did much volunteer community work there. So that's what we did.

I realized that my son, who adored his grandfather (they watched practically all the BBC Shakespeare plays together, etc, etc), would like to be in the company of his grandfather. I called the private airline that does this, and who had disposed of my father's ashes, and asked if they could do the same for my son at the same EXACT LONGITUDE and LATITUDE. Affirmative was the answer. It brought so much peace to my heart.

I may not have donated my son's brain for research, but I made a great decision when it came to disposing of my son's ashes.

raincitygirl profile image
raincitygirl in reply to enjoysalud

Oh Margarita, that's a GREAT story - thanks for sharing :-) The connection between your father and your son, having their physical remains treated the same way in the same place...what a great sense of continuity.

Like a lot of anglo folk who don't know Latino culture deeply, but love the colourful bits (;-) I love the image of families in Mexico - and I know (from being there, in Tucson) in parts of Old Mexico/New US like Southern Arizona - gathering in the graveyards on All Souls Day and having picnics near their loved ones graves. Do you have a special place to remember your son? None of my business of course!! Just a nice thought....

XXX Anne G.

enjoysalud profile image
enjoysalud in reply to raincitygirl

Anne, I sent you a reply the same day you asked your question and I re-read it. Today, because of several responses to my post, I had several messages. That is how I have found out that what I wrote somehow was never sent.

First, any question you have for me is DEFINITELY your business. We PSP caretakers are family. So, please, always ask away. If I feel it's too sensitive for me I will let you know. I doubt that occurring with anyone who contributes to this site.

Regarding your question: Where ever there is a memory of my son that is where I remember him. I don't have a special place. BTW, I can't bring myself to drive by his home. It's still too raw...as he LOVED his home. How can other people be living in my son's house/home????? THAT was HIS home!

Dia de los Muertos is a Catholic holiday, but now more Mexican then Catholic. I am Protestant (Presbyterian), and so have never celebrated Dia de Los Muertos. I LOVED LOVED LOVED "Coco"....mostly because it was about a boy who soooooo wanted to be a musician, and went to great lengths to achieve his dream....like my son.

Here's hoping this does not get deleted or maybe I forgot to hit "reply" when I finished it.

Blessings, Margarita

easterncedar profile image
easterncedar in reply to enjoysalud

That's a very lovely story, really, but I'm so sad still for the loss of that wonderful young man. It is sweet to see his beautiful smile. Big hugs to you.

enjoysalud profile image
enjoysalud in reply to easterncedar

Thank you! I did find the photo of my house with snow. Since we can't post photos in a "share", someday I will post the photo.....maybe in December.

Blessings

Karynleitner profile image
Karynleitner

Very handsome. Wonderful smile 💜

Nice to put a face to Jeff‘s name. Thanks.

I thought about donating Larry’s brain until I found out it cost about $1500. No idea what financial shape I will be in if I out live him.

enjoysalud profile image
enjoysalud in reply to

Good grief, all this time I have been thinking that it was for free. Thank you for letting me know. This page is becoming a place for me to write about my son's life.

in reply to enjoysalud

I had to hunt around to find out the cost. On the CurePSP site it says a few hundred dollars. $1500 is a few hundred dollar. CurePSP might cover half. The sell point is you will know for sure what your loved one died from. Who cares? If they want the tissue it should be on their dime.

A pathologist has to be kept on stand by to do it as the tissue has to be as fresh as it can be. That’s where the expensive comes in.

enjoysalud profile image
enjoysalud in reply to

Hi Jeff166, I wanted to donate his brain to help us gain more info for science and future PSPs. Oh well.

NHGrace profile image
NHGrace in reply to enjoysalud

We only paid $150 to donate my mom’s brain to MGH here in Boston (just the transportation to/from funeral home). If we’d been enrolled in a clinical trial, then it would’ve been free. Most depend on location and proximity to pathologist.

Cuttercat profile image
Cuttercat

Terrific photo. He certainly thought the world of you. Look at that smile!

Cuttercat

enjoysalud profile image
enjoysalud in reply to Cuttercat

How sweet you are......actually that photo was taken by a friend of his in the band. I do love it. He loved playing his bass.

dollydott profile image
dollydott

A lovely photo of your dear son.

His smile for you is precious

Lynda 😊xx

enjoysalud profile image
enjoysalud in reply to dollydott

See my reply to cuttercat.

Marie_14 profile image
Marie_14

You certainly did do it! Well done. He was so handsome. What a sad loss to humanity too, as indeed all our loved ones are? I have to say my husband was very handsome too. Oddly he was in the RAF in the 60's until the early 70's. I don't think I have a photo of him in his uniform though.

Am only hanging on here by the skin of my teeth! Otherwise I would find a photo and try to post it. I am delighted you did that Margarita. We feel like we know him because of you, and now we can see him too? He looks like you I think? I am sure he's happy with his beloved Grandfather. My cousin used to have a home in Santa Monica. A nice place I am told. Never been to visit her!

Hugs to you.

Marie x x

enjoysalud profile image
enjoysalud in reply to Marie_14

When you feel stronger, I would LOVE to see a photo of your husband when he was well, before that dreadful PSP.

I am grateful that Anne posted a photo of Garth, and DonnaSue of John....but only when you are ready, however long that takes.

enjoysalud profile image
enjoysalud

keep trying.....that's how we all learn.

1941mary profile image
1941mary

Oh my goodness ... how handsome!

Thank you for letting me put a face to your wonderfully talented loving son .

Thank you for shring your story too .

Much love

Jude

Katiebow profile image
Katiebow

What a warm and friendly face he has Margarita, you were obviously very proud of him.

Kate xxxx

enjoysalud profile image
enjoysalud

thank you all for your kind and endearing comments about my son. I may not formally celebrate Dia de los Muertos, but do all that I can to keep the memory of my son alive. He was special....as I'm sure we all feel about our loved ones that we lost to crummy "Prime of Life brain diseases".

Blessings...........Margarita, Los Angeles, CA, USA

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