Morgie's Travels 

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The Blog no-one wants to write....

 

Once upon a time there was an Aussie Pom who sadly lost his wife and love of his life to Cancer, in March 2022. This all but destroyed him, hollowing him out and leaving him to wonder how to live the rest of his life. He had amazing support from his family, friends, his employers couldn’t have been more supportive. 

 

After nearly 3 months of self-reflection and allowing the raw grief to settle into a constant dull pain, he decided his course of action. He moved out of his former home in Melbourne and rented an amazing apartment overlooking Sydney Harbour, drawing a line and starting the new chapter in his life. By September that year he also commenced a new role in the company he worked for, adding to the complete change in his life.

 

He continued to find solace with his friends, many of whom he chatted with online spread around the world. He also chose to indulge himself in online and virtual karaoke sessions, enjoying the release that came from singing, however badly :)

 

It was through those online, virtual karaoke sessions that he met a young woman who lived in the US. They quickly found they had many things in common... they were both ex cops, they had both tragically lost their partners within the previous 12 months... and they both had the same tastes in music, humour and many other aspects of their respective lives.

 

This woman was a very private person, not used to opening herself up to much but as the friendship grew and deepened there was a mutual recognition that this was turning into something more than a friendship. They were both taking it very carefully but things continued to develop, with daily voice and video calls where they would enjoy each other’s company and make each  other smile and laugh every day. 

 

The man learned that the woman had been badly injured in a car crash a few years before where the car had reversed over her. She had fought hard to get back to a position where physio was working, and she was able to get out of bed and walk again. She was a tenacious fighter, full of constant positive energy and wouldn’t let anything get her down. Unfortunately, Covid struck her as it did many people at a time when her body immunity was still low and she ended up in intensive care fighting for her life before recovering. she went through this not once, but twice... the net result being permanently damaged lungs, leaving her on oxygen daily and setbacks in her physio to get her walking again. During this time, she also lost her partner.

 

When the man learned of all this, he couldn’t understand how someone who had dealt with so much could still be the happy, positive, infectiously funny person she was, determined to keep fighting and get her life fully back. She was an inspiration on how to face loss and adversity and still keep smiling. Added to her kind, generous soul that always saw the good in everybody it was a powerful force indeed.

 

The man flew out to meet the woman face to face for the first time in Easter 23. They quickly realised that what they had only shared online to this point could be something real and tangible and it made them both excited and happy. There was a large age gap between them but that didn’t seem to matter.

 

At the same time as this was happening the man was continuing to work in his new role back in Australia but coming to the realisation that his heart wasn’t truly in it any more. He had worked hard over 11 years to build his part of the business up to a highly successful, well respected place and after 47 years of working he decided now was the time to retire and start yet another chapter in his life.

 

Another quick visit in July to visit the woman in the US confirmed his thinking... and so on the 30th September the man retired, flying back to her on the 1st October for a week at the start of 18 months of worldwide travelling in the US, Europe and Australia.

 

It would have been nice to end this story with a happy ever after. Sadly, it wasn’t to be. Whilst the man was travelling back the slow way to the US via a ship to spend thanksgiving, Christmas and more time with her, she contracted RSV, that rapidly developed into Pneumonia. She was taken into ICU again and then placed on a ventilator. She ended up transferred to a specialist hospital in a town 2 hours away just as the man arrived back in Georgia to be with her.

 

What then followed was 8 weeks of constant travel, hotel rooms and hours by her bedside holding her hand, talking with her and hoping she was able to fight this off. She was heavily medicated and only barely conscious once or twice in the 8 weeks.

The outstanding and amazing doctors and hospital staff did everything in their power to keep her comfortable, pain free and tried all they could to bring her back to stable consciousness. Unfortunately, they were unable to succeed, and the woman's body finally gave up the fight. She passed away in her sleep on Sunday 17th December, 2 weeks after her birthday.

 

Her name was Renee. She was 46 years old.  

 

 

The man feels hollowed out again, wondering how this world we live in can be so cruel to those that don't deserve it. However, he has been adopted by Renee's family and considered one of their own. It has been both a comfort and overwhelmingly sad to see the over 60 people that travelled from all over the US this week to pay their respects and provide condolences to the family. Not to say the messages of love, support and grief that have poured in from her many hundreds of friends online.

 

Christmas will be spent in Georgia with the family, in both quiet reflection and celebration of her all too short life. Renee leaves a huge hole in many peoples lives that knew her, that only time can heal. 

 

I'm sorry that this is such a sad post in the holiday season but I wanted to let you all know why I have been so quiet the past couple of months.  

 

This Blog is out of sequence and there is still at least one that will be posted over the next week to bring the travels up to date. In the mean time I wish you all a safe and wonderful holiday break and I will see you all in the New Year.