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Posted by Judy English
on March 22, 2008, 19:05:26
91.109.81.219
Ken served with 25 Regiment what year I am not sure but I wanted to inform all his old comrades that Ken passed away on the 10th February 2008 after nearly a year long battle of his own. He suffered a bleed to the brain last April and when he came round he had lost his short term memory - he was very much back in his Army days but fortunately he remembered all his family. He spent 7 months in hospital battling Cdif and MRSA and I finally got him home at the end of October. The doctors warned me that with all Ken's internal problems (liver disease, and his lung problem which happened whilst serving in the Army)he didn't know how long he could survive. Ken was happy to be home amongst his family and friends and I continued to take him out for a couple of pints. He was in and out of hospital because he had to have frequent blood transfusions (his own blood was not doing the job it was supposed to). On the 8th February we attended a family wedding reception in Manchester and his son Gary had just come home from Afghanistan so he was there along with daughter Rosie. Ken was surrounded by his family - he wasn't feeling too good during the early hours of Saturday morning so I took him to hospital where they kept him in. When I left him he was fine and Gary went to see him in the afternoon - he kept asking for me saying he wouldn't go to sleep until I got there. When I arrived to see him at 7.00pm he was very tired and confused and was undergoing yet another blood transfusion. I left him when he went to sleep and when I phoned the hospital later than night they said he was settled. I was very shocked to receive a phone call in the early hours telling me that Ken was very poorly and was having breathing problems and could I get up to the hospital straight away - which I did. It was awful to see Ken struggling to breathe. The doctor told us that he wouldn't be putting Ken on a ventilator because of all his problems. Gary told me to go home at 6.00am to get some rest - Gary himself left at 7.30am after seeing his dad more settled. I received a phone call whilst walking the dog telling me that Ken was deteriorating and could I get there immediately. Unfortunately I wasn't quick enough - Ken died 5 minutes before I got there. We would have been married 26 years on the 13th February and I have many happy memories of my life with him - I am sure that some of you have your own memories of Ken (Arthur). Ken's funeral was well attended - the Church was full, and the Vicar even commented that it was testimony to the person that Ken was that the Church was so full! Ken was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather and I miss him terribly.
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