She had been ill for quite some time now. Her lungs were being wracked by some autoimmune disorder, so she’d been on O2 for about a year now. Her pulmonolgist had given her a poor prognosis. Cleopatra insisted that she was fine.
She and my Father called me Sunday for Father’s day, so we had a nice talk. The last thing she said to me was that she was looking forward to seeing two of her grandsons next week. My Sister asked me not to cancel their trip (the fifteen year old is staying with them during his NC State engineering camp, and the twenty year old wanted to see her before going to Army training camp next month), so Mrs Magill is still taking them while she’s in Raleigh on business.
I was walking in the parking lot for my PT when I got a call from my Father. She had collapsed this morning, so he took her to the ER. Her heart stopped while there, and they resuscitated and intubated her. My Brother was dispatched home to collect her DNR from the fridge.
They pulled out her tube at about 9:15 local time. She passed away a few minutes later.
My sister is taking care of things and keeping me posted. I call her the responsible adult in Raleigh for a reason.
Mrs Magill and the boys have been very supportive.
Sorry for the long, rambling post, but I needed to get this off my chest.
My deepest condolences to you and all your extended family.
It sounds like she was in good spirits, with great things to look forward to, right up until the very end. There’s a lot to be said for that versus a slow decline and building of hopelessness. Some of my mother’s last words were planning for the family Christmas (a holiday that meant a lot to our family) and I know it made her happy.
It may not seem like much now, but be glad you had the chance to have a nice talk with her just two days before she died. My mother’s final weeks were long and painful, and she didn’t even have it in her to talk to any of us.
I would also like to offer my sympathy, I lost my mother last month.
In my mum’s case it was quite sudden, about 10 days before she passed away she started getting confused, to the point that she forgot how to put her socks and shoes on, she was tested for a urinary infection which was negative so an GP appointment was made on the Monday to have a blood test and memory test. I spke to he on the phone on the Sunday and she wasn’t that much different to normal. At this stage the main concern is she would need to go into full time nursing care.
My sister took her to the GP (I live several hours drive away). The next day she had abdominal pains and the staff at her sheltered housing said we should ask the GP for a house visit on calling we were told they had the blood test results and to call an ambulance. She was put on antibiotics had an abdominal scan and admitted to the hospital. That evening we were told the result of the scan meant she didn’t have long, she went a little over 24 hours later.
I was able to drive down and see her before she passed, she was confused but happy. My one consolation is that she did not suffer, and was 91 so had a good innings.
It wasn’t long or rambling and even if it was I think we all understand how important it is to get things off your chest. I’m sorry your mother passed away. It hurts no matter how old they are when they go.
