I don't remember much about the day. I know that at some point, the nurse encouraged us to go home and get some rest. She assured us that if anything happened, they would know in plenty of time to call us and for us to get back to the hospital.
At 2:50 pm, my grandma called and told me to go to the hospital. I met her and my father, but it was too late. We had all missed it.
Mama died at 3:00 pm.
I remember my father wailing (the only word to describe it) in the hospital hallway. Grandma was talking to the hospital staff. I don't remember what I did. I remember being shocked at my father's reaction, since it was exactly the first time I had ever seen him cry.
I remember spending the evening at my apartment with friends. I'm not sure why I wasn't with my dad and grandma.
Thanksgiving was two days later. The memorial service was two days after that.
One thing I do remember very clearly is that Grandma called me every year on November 23rd.
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4 comments:
Wow. That last line was... hard. I ran through the options of beautiful, sad and perfect, but I think (for this reader at least) the best word is hard.
As always, your writing amazes me. I know we'll never really know what you've experienced, but your writing brings me so much closer.
it makes me angry your family is gone. that's what i feel lately...angry my friend's son is dying, angry your family is gone and your grandma was not there to call you yesterday. angry that more often than not it seems our lives don't turn out like we dreamed they would.
anyways, your writing is beautiful. you are beautiful..and i hope you knew that already.
Ditto...thank you for sharing. I'm glad you get to see Jesse.
Hey Pegs,
Just saw this post and it moved me greatly. Having lost most of my family and being an only child, holidays bring back waves of strong memory and emotion for me too. I don't know why some people are blessed with their families for years and years, and others are left alone early. I don't know why our lives don't turn out the way we dreamed that they would as often as we wished. What I do know is that each day is a gift and we have to search for the beauty in it. Part of the beauty of my day today was reading the passion and emotion in your writing. Thanks for sharing and for being my friend.
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