A year ago today I lost my long time companion, lover, and friend. Stephen passed away in a nursing home of COPD. I was no longer able to care for him at home. We tried to keep him here, at home, because he knew if he went to the hospital he would not come back. Unfortunately his home care nurse could do nothing more for him and under his doctor's directions an ambulance was called. He spent two weeks in the hospital and four weeks in the nursing home. He was on 100 percent oxygen. Every time I saw him I could see him going downhill. His breathing got harder to do day by day. I miss his humor and caring for me.

We knew each other for twenty years or so, but were a couple for only 15 of them. He wasn't a mechanical, handy-man, type of guy and he freely admitted it. He was someone I could talk to and he would listen. He offered his support and embraces when I needed them. On long hard days at work I would come home and he would have a simple dinner ready and waiting for me. These were the things that endeared him more to me.

Stephen had overcome many hard times. He was an alcholic for years, but was a recovered one years before I met him. I do know that he still attended AA meetings. He was homeless for a while. He had four marriages and we both agreed we were not marrying each other. We lived together, grew together, and held together through our health problems.

He has two beautiful daughters that I accepted as my own. He accepted my daughters as his as well. Between the two of us we had four daughters, three sons-in-law, six grandsons, and four granddaughters. Shortly after his passing he became a great-grandfather for the first time. As it turned out he never meet his youngest grandson, Wyatt, nor Logan his great-grandson.

We know that he is in a better place where he is no longer struggling to breath. He is with his mother, sister Lois, T.Tom, and Baby Jane. He has family with him. May he rest in peace.