The Hospice at Perram House

My best friend Barb Pratt passed away in Perram House Hospice on a full moon on November 10th,
2011, at 10:10 am in the morning,after 12 long years of suffering from ovarian cancer. Barb was always a free spirit who believed in giving to the needy and she had many friends from all walks of life. When she entered Perram House in May, I hadn't seen her in awhile and I was shocked to see her so thin and fragile.
The last time I was in the area of Perram House it was the house next door at # 2 Wellesley Place where the Rolling Stone Museum used to be that was operated by Jerry Stone who owned the largest collection of Rolling Stone Memorabilia. In the year 2001, the house was sold to a private developer, as well as the house and the property on which #4 Wellesley Place is located. Frank McCrea purchased the two older homes and renovated both locations and supported the Hospice and it's programs at #4 Wellesley Place. The original owner of #4 Wellesley Place was Mary Ann Perram in 1878 a widow and Mother of five children. Prior to it's ownership by the Ontario Cancer Institute in 1968, #4 Wellesley was owned by the Sisters of Service of Canada, The Congregation of The Most Holy Redeemer and after that by several private owners until 1997 when it offered services for palliative care.
I met the most interesting people when I was there at Perram House with my best friend, Barbara, she had so many friends of every type who would bring her food and she would pay them. She would call and ask for different things like herring and bagels, beet borsch, that I learned how to make from scratch; and anything she desired I would go on a quest and find it like books, The Help. My last quest was watercolour pencils and a Husky sketch pad not made in China. That's when I got the call that she had made a turn for the worse. I had been with my favourite Sister, Patsy when she passed away of lung cancer in 1995 and stayed with my Mother at the hospital when she passed away of liver cancer in December of 2004, and my Father had just recently passed away the year before on March 20th, 2010 at the age of 99 by a mophine injection by a stupid nurse.
This was going to be the most difficult time of my life to be with my best friend on her death bed!
She and I had been friends since high school over 45 years and now she was leaving this earth the day before 11/11/11. There is another Angel in heaven now looking after all the ones that need guidence.
Barbara Pratt was given an Indian burial by a lake on Manitolin Island without her family and friends.
And I do know that she watches over the sick and dieing at Perram House along with Mary Ann Perram and her 5 children in the big house at #4 Wellesley Place..We all miss you Barb Pratt, you were called to serve others and I still have your cards and gifts that you gave me all these years but the greatest gift was having you as my best friend and my Son Josh's God Mother. I will always love you.