Bruce woke up to his emphysema acting up. He went in search of Sue. He had to go slowly, because it was difficult for him to catch a breath. Nancy saw him walking slowly, struggling for breath and went to Bruce, putting her arm around him and walked him over to a chair in the main room. “Now you just sit right there and I will find Sue.” She looked all over the downstairs before she saw Sue coming out of the bathroom. “Honey, come quick. Bruce is not doing so well.”

Sue followed Nancy to the main room, took one look at Bruce and ran to the kitchen. She found a pot of boiling water on the stove that was supposed to be used for oatmeal and told the kitchen worker she had to take it. She grabbed a few kitchen towels and brought her supplies to the main room. Sue put the pot right in front of Bruce, draped towels over his head and told him to breath as deeply as he could. “Bruce have you ever been diagnosed with COPD or emphysema?” Sue asked him.

Bruce nodded. “Emphysema,” was all he could get out.

Sue asked Nancy, “Do we have any honey?”

When Nancy told her they did, Sue asked her to bring the honey and a teaspoon. As soon as Nancy got back, Sue fed Bruce a teaspoon of honey. Bruce responded by coughing and coughing. Sue asked Nancy if she could put on another pot of water so it would be hot by the time this first pot cooled off. She asked Donald, who had shown up by this time and was checking on the situation, if he could make an announcement to ask if anyone had an inhaler. She knew an inhaler would help with Bruce’s breathing.

Donald went immediately and made the announcement. Glenda, a frail 86 year old lady came up to Donald and handed him her inhaler. “I hope Bruce feels better. I can rub his back if you like. That always makes me feel better when someone rubs my back.”

Donald smiled at Glenda, thanked her for the inhaler and said he would let her know if they needed her to rub his back. As he walked the inhaler to Bruce, he thought how kind that was of Glenda to share her lifeline with Bruce. Living with these people had restored his faith in man. He had gone through a few years where he had wondered if there were any kind people left in the world, who unselfishly thought of others. Well, he had his answer now and it felt pretty good!

Nancy had Leonard bring in the next pot of water and take the old one back to the kitchen so the kitchen staff could get on with the oatmeal for the meal. Sue had Bruce take a deep breath of the inhaler while the pots got switched. Bruce was looking a little bit peaked. The inhaler helped him and he got out a word, “Thanks!” and a smile.

Sue was calmly talking to Bruce to try to distract him. “You know, Bruce, the cold weather probably brought this on. That’s it. Breath the hot steam and it will help to open your bronchial tubes. You are a real trouper, Bruce!” Sue told him a story and got him to laugh. Pretty soon, Bruce was able to breathe normally. Sue made them both plates and had him follow her up to her little clinic. She asked him to sit in the office chair and eat slowly. She also asked him to take small bites and wash each bite down with water. It was important to keep his passage clear so he could breathe better.

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Sue stayed with him all morning. Bruce finally told her, “I want to lay down, Sue. Do you think that would be ok?”

Sue agreed and had him lay down on the comfy bed in the clinic. Bruce fell asleep, exhausted from his ordeal. She stayed with him until his breathing became regular. Even though Sue was a nurse and had seen all kinds of illnesses and injuries, seeing Bruce suffer was hard on her because she was close to him. She told herself not to worry about the inhaler running out and what would happen if it did. Worry never helps anything.

Sue had to go check on a couple of other patients and get on with her day. She came back from time to time to check on Bruce. She was glad he was getting some sleep, as she knew nighttime was usually the time when things flared up and he would fare better if he got some rest now.

Sue came back to the room and said, “Oh, you’re awake! I was just going down to supper. Do you feel like going downstairs to eat?”

“No,” Bruce answered with difficulty. He was wheezing, with each breath.

“Ok, I will bring you up a tray. I’m glad you are resting! Be back in a minute,” Sue said.

Sue asked Nancy for some fruit, knowing it would be good for Bruce. Nancy brought her an orange, an apple and a banana. Sue started up to where Bruce was resting and met Angie on the stairs.

Angie said, “Oh, Sue quick come with me! I checked on Bruce just now and his lips are blue!”

Sue dropped the fruit and ran up the stairs! She got to Bruce in record time and checked his pulse. Nothing. She held a mirror in front of his mouth and nose. Nothing. Sue began doing mouth to mouth. She alternated pushing on his chest and then went back to mouth to mouth. After ten minutes, Angie said softly, “Sue, I am not a doctor or a nurse, but I think you have given him enough time. He’s gone.”

Sue said with tears streaming down her face, “No, I have to keep trying,” and she went back to doing CPR on her dear friend.

Angie slipped out of the door and went to get reinforcements to help Sue. She came back in just a minute with Jim. Jim took a look at Bruce and had to force himself not to lose it for Sue’s sake. “Sue, Sue,” and when she sat up and turned around, Jim took her in a hug.

“Why Jim? Why did Bruce have to die? He was such a necessary part of us. He didn’t do anything wrong; he was always trying to help. Why Bruce?”

Jim held her for a long time and said, “No, he didn’t do anything wrong, Sue. It was his time. Death is not a punishment. It is a normal part of everyone’s life and it was just time for Bruce to go. He was happy here. He escaped homelessness and found a life full of excitement. He learned to drive a yacht, he killed the biggest moose ever, and he learned how to hunt and tan a hide. A lot of men younger than him have never experienced those things! It is normal for you to be sad because you will miss him but don’t be sad for Bruce. He has been set free and we need to remember to be happy for him and celebrate his life!”