Saying Goodbye

Death is a funny thing.  Or at least it creates funny situations.

We knew we were down to hours.  I told Dad good-bye this morning...Mom told him to go this afternoon.  It wasn't until my sister said good-bye about 4:00 that he started to let go.

I was enroute from the hospital pharmacy picking up meds for the weekend.  My sister called about 4:15 to ask where I was.  I was stuck in traffic on 1st Avenue in front of Lindale Mall.  She said to hurry, that he was going.  Not much I could do in rush hour traffic with construction.

She called again at 4:25 - I was on 7th Avenue turning on to 10th Street.  She said she was putting the phone to Dad's ear so I could talk to him.  I'm talking to him and telling him it was ok to go that he didn't need to wait for me.  I could hear my Mom and my sister in the background - they were telling him to hang on until I got home.  So, the poor guy is caught between all of us telling him what to do.

I got home at 4:30...and up to the bedroom where he was.  We were standing around him - holding his hands and telling him it was ok and that he needed to go.  We were telling him it was all going to be ok.  He'd take a shallow breath and then nothing.  We'd hold our own breath...then...he would take another.  This went on for what seemed like an eternity.  He was going to go on his own regardless of what we were telling him.  It was comical...and he was stubborn.

Finally...he took his last breath.  It was peace.

He is home.