What Matters

Quiet Walk to Garage...

Got off work yesterday and headed to the hospital for the extubation of my aunt.

The nurse came to introduce herself and to let us know what was going on then there was the wait for the doctor who finally came to talk with us then there was a shift change and the new nurse had to be oriented.

And there was the visit by the chaplain...

The lights went off in the hallway at 8:30 when visiting hours were officially over and, by 9, I no longer wanted them to do the extubation but, of course, they did.

The doctor had told us that sometimes people last hours or days or weeks but only God knew or something like that.

My aunt didn't breathe at first and then she started breathing but her heart rate was not very good and it all seemed kind of cruel to let someone struggle.

My aunt didn't last an hour.

The chaplain returned...

Chiquita hugged me tight and thanked me for being there 100%. I was not that good but I did try to be Robin to Chiquita's Batman and I guess what matters is that she felt that I was there 100%.

Chiquita was amazing and did everything to make my aunt's last days as comfortable as possible.

My aunt had a wicked case of peripheral artery disease. Her circulation was so poor that she had wounds that wouldn't heal and one of the nurses said that she hadn't seen necrosis that bad in three years. Even though my aunt's quality of life was not great, she really wanted to live. She had no desire to throw in the towel.

Carpe diem people...