April 29 2011
My stepfather died this afternoon. Alone, in an ambulance. (Well, with a paramedic, but alone without family.) My mother was on her way back to Belleville but was too late. She was in Ottawa taking care of my sister's kids for the week (because Stacy is in the hospital and Matt has to work), so she left Chuck in the care of his son Joel, who lives nearby and was spending the days with him (but not the nights).
When Mum phoned Chuck this morning, his nurse Rebecca was there to flush his tubes, and answered the phone. She was crying, and told Mum that she'd better come home. She had just phoned an ambulance for Chuck. He died on the way to the hospital.
We were told in October that he had only days to live. Mum was advised to start the funeral arrangements. But he hung in there for another 6 months! I don't think he could let go while there was a chance that the Leafs would make it to the playoffs.
He has been on palliative care at home for so long that we've stopped believing that he was really going to die. Oh, sure we knew it was coming. But not now. Never now. One of the saddest things is that his daughter Amy has just found out that she's pregnant. He would have been so happy to know that. She meant to tell him last night, but he wasn't feeling well, so she thought she would wait until he was feeling better. But he died without knowing.
When Mum phoned Chuck this morning, his nurse Rebecca was there to flush his tubes, and answered the phone. She was crying, and told Mum that she'd better come home. She had just phoned an ambulance for Chuck. He died on the way to the hospital.
We were told in October that he had only days to live. Mum was advised to start the funeral arrangements. But he hung in there for another 6 months! I don't think he could let go while there was a chance that the Leafs would make it to the playoffs.
He has been on palliative care at home for so long that we've stopped believing that he was really going to die. Oh, sure we knew it was coming. But not now. Never now. One of the saddest things is that his daughter Amy has just found out that she's pregnant. He would have been so happy to know that. She meant to tell him last night, but he wasn't feeling well, so she thought she would wait until he was feeling better. But he died without knowing.