I have, and I feel totally gut-punched and breathless, today. I knew this day was coming and I knew what it would trigger. Doesn't make it any easier.

My mom lived to ninety, god bless her. Folks would console me by saying she lived a long life which is true, but when it's your mom you want her to live forever.

back in his more "maverick" days...

I still believe him to be a patriot... and his "thumbs down" vote on ending Obamacare was much appreciated.

So yeah, I'm going to miss him and wish him well in his final days.

Edit to add... McCain was personally instrumental in getting my nephew (Gulf War vet) full disability for his war injuries. VA had him at 60% disabled and McCain's office (and John himself) got it bumped to 100% (which has provided my nephew with the ability to live on his own). My nephew lives in Arizona.

Memories that had turned positive over time. Now the negative aspects come back.

3 times now....
I respect McCain choice..

She lived to 90 and died of natural causes,

In their last hours of life. It is a privilege and traumatic. This brings up all kinds of stuff for me. Missing my folks, wishing my dad could be here so I could debrief this national nightmare we are in with him. Happy at the same time that he’s actually not here to see this. I feel like a jacked up mess today. I’m very sorry for what the McCains are going through. They are losing a husband and a father and that hurts.

to meet and get to know many people who had to make the decision Mr. McCain has made. It feels sad to most of us and it is sad in many respects. But facing your mortality many times like he has changes you. There is a psychological process that takes place that prepares you for what is coming. The people I’ve known who walked this journey entered a different state of mind about what is coming. It is as if they’ve turned a corner and are in a different place mentally than we are. While not wishing to die, they no longer fear it and achieve a kind of peace and acceptance for the inevitable.

Our hearts and warm wishes go to his family who will be dealing with his death for some time. Mr. McCain is prepared for his death and only needs our wish and hope that his passing is mercifully pain free and without drama.

The gift I got from knowing others who died from their cancer was the certain knowledge that you can go to that death with dignity, grace and peace if you allow yourself to accept what will happen. I consider myself so fortunate to know this because it helps put lots of other issues of life in perspective.