The Later Years
Fast forwarding to the last months of Anton's life.
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To cut a long story short, the business had to change in order to survive. Instead of supplying fabric to the retailers, we got involved with the wholesale business and then into contract wear supplying fabric to the airlines and government bodies. The bulk of the business was done in the Middle East.
Over time, the business became more difficult and it took its toll on Anton, who suffered a breakdown. He had suffered from anxiety and panic attacks in the 80s. This was always in the background, but controlled with medication. In late 2006 he was advised that the medication he had been on for so long was to be discontinued and that he should try a different one. He decided that he did not want to do that and tried to wean himself off medication.
In early 2007, he became paranoid and fearful. I did not understand the significance of this and his illness. Sadly on 21st March, he self-harmed and ended up in the Intensive Care Unit. He was kept on the respirator and the ventilator, which meant that he was unable to speak. Our last words, 'I love you', were on 21st March as he was taken into the ambulance.
His time in hospital was a roller-coaster ride. I had expected him to recover and he would take life easy, rest and get well again. However, this was not to be. On 17th April, when I went to the hospital to visit him in the afternoon, I was told that his kidneys had stopped functioning, amongst other issues, and that he was in a coma and the outlook was bleak. I had to make the awful decision to switch the machines off. We waited until his brother and sister came up from Kent and it was done around 11 pm that night.
It was all so very sad.
May he rest in peace.
Over time, the business became more difficult and it took its toll on Anton, who suffered a breakdown. He had suffered from anxiety and panic attacks in the 80s. This was always in the background, but controlled with medication. In late 2006 he was advised that the medication he had been on for so long was to be discontinued and that he should try a different one. He decided that he did not want to do that and tried to wean himself off medication.
In early 2007, he became paranoid and fearful. I did not understand the significance of this and his illness. Sadly on 21st March, he self-harmed and ended up in the Intensive Care Unit. He was kept on the respirator and the ventilator, which meant that he was unable to speak. Our last words, 'I love you', were on 21st March as he was taken into the ambulance.
His time in hospital was a roller-coaster ride. I had expected him to recover and he would take life easy, rest and get well again. However, this was not to be. On 17th April, when I went to the hospital to visit him in the afternoon, I was told that his kidneys had stopped functioning, amongst other issues, and that he was in a coma and the outlook was bleak. I had to make the awful decision to switch the machines off. We waited until his brother and sister came up from Kent and it was done around 11 pm that night.
It was all so very sad.
May he rest in peace.
