The Passing of my Friend

Donny "Walrilla" Smith
5/23/65 - 10/1/2012

                                                                                     

 

  This is not the way We wanted to make our return to the 'blog' world, but it is the only way We know how to contact many of Walrilla's friends....   Hope you all will see this and pass the word.

 

 

  For those that were not aware, in early August, Donny was admitted to the local hospital after he nearly collapsed registering for college. 

 

  Yep, he was going back to make his brain bigger!

 

  After a series of test, word came back that he wasn't doing well.  He ended up having QUINTUPLE bypass surgery.

 

   That's 5 bypasses....

 

   He spent a few days in the cardiac ICU.  On Friday, he called to say he was in a regular room and was doing well, just in pain.  Sometime during the night, he suffered a stroke.  More test and treatments were performed and the final report was that the stroke had affected about 1/3 of his brain.  The stroke caused him to disassociate the left side of his body.

 

   He didn't recognize his left side as his body. 

 

  Over the next week, he FOUGHT an uphill battle as he had to be placed on a ventilator to help him breathe.  Eventually he pulled though to a point that he was sent to a neuro rehab  center to start therapy to regain use of the left side of his body.  He worked hard and in 3+ weeks time, he had started regaining use of his left leg.  They had him standing and as of this past Sunday, We were informed he was even walking a little, with assistance.  Sunday was a good day as We spent several hours together making plans of what we were going to do when he got better.  We left that day with plans for a Las Vegas trip spinning in our heads.

 

  Monday night We received a call from Donny's wife informing Us that he had just passed away.

 

   BULLSHIT!!!!  HE WAS GETTING BETTER!!!!  WE WERE JUST THERE LAUGHING AND CUTTING UP, MAKING PLANS FOR THE FUTURE!!!!  HOW IN THE HELL COULD THIS HAPPEN!!!!  HE WAS GETTING BETTER, STRONGER EVERY WEEK!!!!!  NO!  NO!! NOOOOOO!!!!!!

 

   From what We were told, sometime Monday, a nurse checked in and found him not breathing.  Defib, CPR, ventilator and a mad rush to a Austin hospital.  They had managed to get his heart beating again, but it was just the machines keeping his body going.  With his wife and mother at his side, it was decided that the machines should be turned off....

 

   Today We laid our friend to rest. 

 

   Walrilla,  We still can't believe this.  You are Our Brother, friend and partner in crime!  We will always remember you and pray that you have found peace, that you no longer suffer in a body that burned out much faster than the spirit that drove it.  When Our time in this Earth has run its course, We will meet again, and that will be a good day!  Till then Brother, We live for you!  If it is within your power, watch over us, your friends, and smack us in the head if we are screwing up!

 

   In closing, We ask that if you have a story or remembrance about Walrilla to please share it with his friends. 

 

   People don't really pass on, they continue to live in the hearts and minds of those who loved them.