Hi.

This is my reminising of dad.


I am Bud Meade's son Jim. Dad died on August 19 2002. He is missed very much. A day doesn't go by that I haven't thought about him. When he left us, he left a family that loved him very much. I had been visiting Mom and Dad every Friday night for about 5 years and I got to re-know my dad. By that I mean, as a kid, I didn't really get to know him very well. We had differences and it was until he joined the "EX-POW'S" in the 80's, that I learned what he had gone through in the war.

He wrote a book about his experiences, for us kids, and then we really learned about him. When he started surfing the internet, that was when him and I really bonded. When I would go over on Friday, usually, he would come up to me and say, "I have a problem with the computer." I would say something like, "No, You? I can't believe it!" He would say things like I was being a wise guy. But, it was the one thing that him and I could talk about where we both had knowledge.

He was a big Green Bay Packer fan, and I being a Minnesota Vikings fan, we had our share of ribbing each other. He would believe the Packers would win the Super Bowl every year. He was such a supporter, that he would pick the Packers to win every game. He would have even picked the Pack to beat a 15-0 team on the road and the Pack be 0-15.

For Father's Day in 2002, my wife and I took Mom and Dad out for a Fish Fry. Dad wasn't feeling to well then. I was concerned. Then the Friday before he went to the hospital, which he never came out, he asked me how much I weighed. I told him 209 lbs. He said I weigh almost as much as him. I asked him how much he weighed? He said 225 lbs. I knew at this point, his problem was serious. For monthes he had said how much he would love to get down to 240 lbs. Now, not only did he achieve that, but, also was 15 lbs lower.

The final days were very emotional. I would go to the hospital and see him and when I left, I would tell him I love him, shake his hand, and kiss him on the forehead. One day, I left to do an errand and was going to be back, and I said "I'll be back.", I didn't say my usual goodbye and I think he was dissappointed. Since then, I never left without doing that.

On the Saturday before he died he requested the whole family come to the hospital. He was requesting that no one try to revive him when he died and wanted us all to know his wishes. He was also, making sure Mom would be well taken care of. He talked to us all and was very coherent. I believe that was his surge on energy before he died.

On Monday August 19, I went to the hospital at 5:30A.M., he was sleeping and I was just there. I didn't need for him to be awake for me, I just was very sad the time was approaching, and I just wanted to be there for him. About 5:45, I thought, oh my god, he just died, and then relief. His breathing slowed to about 5-10 seconds between breath's. At about 5:55 the nurse came in and woke him up and asked him if he was in any pain.

He didn't respond to her, at 6:00, I had to leave for work. She asked me if anyone was going to be there today, I told her my brother would be there about 6:30, but, I had to go to work. I also, told her, that as far as pain was concerned, he never grimaced to show he was in any pain. She said, she was just checking to see how coherent he was, and he was asleep before he could answer. I told her about how his breathing had changed and was about 5-10 seconds between breath's. She said that is typical when the time is near and would get to be a greater span. I wished I had asked her, how long she thought he had left. I thought he would be around when I got done with work. He was gone less than 4 hrs later.