I feel so helpless as a friend struggles with the loss of her husband..

Tweet

My very good long time friend called me at 6 am this morning to tell me that her 46 year old husband ( also my friend) had died. He wasn't sick...no symptoms..they had a trip to Italy planned for this Saturday. They spent the evening going over travel plans and then she headed to bed. He was beginning his vacation last night and she had to be up at 5 am this morning to go to work. At 2 am she came down stairs and saw him sleeping on the couch..( this is very normal as he works shift work and naps at odd hours. He hates to be awakened if he is sleeping as he has trouble going back to sleep)..She turned out the lights and went back up to bed..at 5 am when she arose for work she thought it odd that he hadn't made the trek up to bed yet, as would be his routine. She went to the couch and realized that he was gone...This is a woman that was married once before to one of my best friends. He got cancer and died in 2000. They had 4 children..She was devastated and barely hung on to life for the frist year...then she met Dave ( I was with her when they met) and he was such a great guy and such a good thing for her...they dated a year and were married. They celebrated their 5th anniversary last August...I am in such shock...This person has lost 2 husbands in less than 8 years and she is only 46 years old!!! I have had the flu for the past 2 days and still exhibit a fever of 102...I can't go be with her and expose her and her family to this bug that I have...I have talked for hours on the phone with her today...I am at such a loss as what to do...I am sorry this is such a long post...but my question finally is...what do I do? I can't go comfort her until I am not contagious...or should I just go and take the chance...I would feel terrible if she got what I have...but I would feel worse if she could be comforted by my presence...we have been through so much together...what would you do? Would you protect her health or would you go and comfort her heart? Thank you for listening and being there....and don't forget to hug your family and tell them that you love them...we just never know when things will happen....