Home for a day
Thursday I got word that my older sister had collapsed at a restaurant in the Milwaukee area and had been taken to a hospital. Friday morning I drove over to visit with her and family.
What we didn't know at the time was the extent of her injuries. We learned over time that her heart was probably stopped for 10-12 minutes and that her brain did not receive sufficient oxygen to support life as a result... so it became a death watch in which we ended up needing to make the hard choice to discontinue life support.
Saturday at 3:00 we had them turn off the equipment. My mother, myself, my next younger sister, her husband and adult son, as well as a dear friend of my mothers were with her as she passed an hour and five minutes later.
I drove back to Madison late last night, not knowing that freezing drizzle had been forecasted. Driving 80 miles at speeds ranging between 15 and 50 mph between the two cities, with all kinds of cars in ditches and emergency vehicles all around was, to say the least, hair-raising.
Since I hadn't packed any clothes, nor made arrangements for things like feeding fish and watering plants, I needed to come back for a day to take care of those things, as well as attend church this morning. After many hugs, I'm home for the rest of today and tonight.
Tomorrow I'll be heading back to help the family with arrangements and will stay there through services, probably late in the day on Wednesday. I've a fellow staying at the house and he'll take care of things here. This time I'll take along some clothes!
What we didn't know at the time was the extent of her injuries. We learned over time that her heart was probably stopped for 10-12 minutes and that her brain did not receive sufficient oxygen to support life as a result... so it became a death watch in which we ended up needing to make the hard choice to discontinue life support.
Saturday at 3:00 we had them turn off the equipment. My mother, myself, my next younger sister, her husband and adult son, as well as a dear friend of my mothers were with her as she passed an hour and five minutes later.
I drove back to Madison late last night, not knowing that freezing drizzle had been forecasted. Driving 80 miles at speeds ranging between 15 and 50 mph between the two cities, with all kinds of cars in ditches and emergency vehicles all around was, to say the least, hair-raising.
Since I hadn't packed any clothes, nor made arrangements for things like feeding fish and watering plants, I needed to come back for a day to take care of those things, as well as attend church this morning. After many hugs, I'm home for the rest of today and tonight.
Tomorrow I'll be heading back to help the family with arrangements and will stay there through services, probably late in the day on Wednesday. I've a fellow staying at the house and he'll take care of things here. This time I'll take along some clothes!