When The Grim Reaper Calls - Page 2

With her future defined, Elle took up the duties involved in wrapping up one's affairs so that there would be no loose ends to interfere with the family's healing after grieving. She touched up her will, said goodbye via phone to those family members unable to reach the hospital in time, and settled into her newest role of the dying. "I've never died before," she insisted at one point. It was new for all of us, as none of us had ever watched someone die before.

Even though she was in pain and very uncomfortable, she didn't lose her sense of humor. When awake, she would joke with those of us who had gathered to see her across the valley of death. When asleep, she might suddenly awaken to pick up the thread of our conversation, including at one point complaining in a tone of false irritation that we were so busy talking that she couldn't get a word in edgewise! Then she thanked all of us for being there with her as she took her final journey.

But even at this late stage, Elle was still capable of surprising us. Despite being in ICU, she decided that she had to have a Dr Pepper, so she conspired with her granddaughter to smuggle one in. (This struck us all as very odd, as she didn't like soda pop. She often debased such beverages, calling them poison because of their high sugar content.) She wasn't able to partake of that requested banned substance until she was moved out of ICU. But once she was, she would take sips, often holding the cup herself despite the drugs as she drifted in and out of consciousness. It was the first thing she would ask for upon awakening. It was the last thing she ingested. She had almost finished the bottle when she stopped breathing.

It took about 36 hours from the delivery of the oncologist's final verdict to Elle taking her final breath. That happened as I was out buying some breakfast for those assembled, along with a small birthday cake for Mrs. R. I figured that Elle would like to attend one more family party before she went, but she had other plans. I returned about 20 minutes too late for that to happen. The candles remained unlit, the party postponed for another time.

Article Author: Realist

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