stephen douglas kendall
1954 - 2020
with great sadness, we announce the passing of stephen douglas kendall on the 3rd january 2020 after a long fight with an aggressive form of cancer.
steve was a hardworking, dedicated man, who loved his family and classic rock. he will be remembered for his terrible jokes and for fighting until the very end.
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today was a wonderful reminder about how you should never, ever postpone a prompting. after being removed from all forms of medication on new years eve, (even the antibiotics which the drs said would keep him well, but never make him better) steve began to have trouble breathing yesterday and started to experience a lot of pain. in the palliative room, it is asked that a family member remain with the patient at all times and dougs sister had stayed by steves side.
as the day went on he slept for longer and longer periods time and began to space out... and overnight started to gasp for air as he slept. in the early hours of the morning, he started to suffer a lot with pain from his condition and cried out a few times. doug and his mum had arrived at her hospital for her to be hooked up to her chemotherapy treatment only to receive a call from dominique saying that the nurses had asked for them to make their way to stephen and to hurry as it wouldn't be long before he was gone. she was quickly unhooked so they could race over.
what a wonderful blessing it was that they just so "happened" (i do not think there is any such thing as a coincidence) to be nearby and were able to make it to the hospital to say goodbye. stephen was able to be surrounded by his wife and his children as he took his final breaths and i feel certain that would have been such a comfort to him.
i was so blessed to have had the most wonderful father in law who i know loved me so much. one of the final things he ever said to me was "don't you ever feel like you are not an important part of this family. you belong as much as the rest of us and i am so glad to have you as my daughter. i love you." i had been trying to give him a little privacy at the time so he was laughing as he told me off, but his words still meant so much to me. i was the lucky one.
rest in peace my favourite father-in-law. i was so lucky to be loved by you.
what a wonderful blessing it was that they just so "happened" (i do not think there is any such thing as a coincidence) to be nearby and were able to make it to the hospital to say goodbye. stephen was able to be surrounded by his wife and his children as he took his final breaths and i feel certain that would have been such a comfort to him.
i was so blessed to have had the most wonderful father in law who i know loved me so much. one of the final things he ever said to me was "don't you ever feel like you are not an important part of this family. you belong as much as the rest of us and i am so glad to have you as my daughter. i love you." i had been trying to give him a little privacy at the time so he was laughing as he told me off, but his words still meant so much to me. i was the lucky one.
rest in peace my favourite father-in-law. i was so lucky to be loved by you.
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