July 30

My good friends, I begin this post with news no man should ever have to report. My mother passed on the morning of July 30 in the ICU at Lancaster General Hospital, I was with her when it happened. I was awake around 6:00 to use the bathroom, I noticed the message light flashing on the telephone. When I saw it was the hospital I instantly knew something was wrong, they wouldn't have called before 5:00 if it was good news. I called them back and they told me her condition had nosedived overnight, it would be good for me to get in there ASAP. I arrived about 6:15 or so, they said they could continue the medications but realistically it would be useless. The infection she contracted had done its damage and given her physical state she was simply unable to fight it any longer. We were in her room having this conversation and I asked if she could hear us, when they said she probably could I told them what she would say: if it's my time so be it, let me go peacefully. I know she was aware I was there because she opened her eyes occasionally but she said little, once they disconnected everything it was just a matter of time. The official end came at 8:20 when two nurses came in, listened to her heart for close to a minute and said "I'm sorry". It goes without saying that it is painful but in a way I'm glad I was there because nobody should die alone. The hospital chaplain came in and we talked for a few minutes, he asked if he could say a prayer over her. I told him I'm not a religious man and it meant little to me but it was something she would have appreciated so I allowed it. Under the circumstances I was in no particular hurry to leave, I stayed for about an hour and got the word out to friends via social media. I'm a big believer in going about your regular routine as best you can during troubled times, I had previous plans for the day and I saw them through. Jenny was in town for a orthopedic appointment at 9:45, we were going to have lunch and we did. I went to her appointment from the hospital, she and her mother both took the news very hard. After lunch I went to the care center to tell them what happened and to pick up what few personal items she had there, they were all very sorry to hear the news. I donated her walker to them as a thank-you for what they tried to do and for what they may have been able to do had she been there longer (if you want to count minutes she was there for less than four full days). In the evening Don and I got together and firmed up the summer dek hockey season as planned. Don had heard the news, he said we didn't have to if I wasn't up to it but I told him how I feel about the "regular routine". I told his wife Brenda about how the last thing I said to my mother was "just rest and relax and don't worry about me, I'll be OK", she said maybe that was all my mother needed to hear. All I can say is she indeed went peacefully, it happened quietly and without any apparent pain. After all she went through over the last few months she deserved that much. Take care, thanks for reading.