The Worst Month Ever

The Worst Month Ever
When I took Dad to the hospital in February for pneumonia they did chest x-rays and his lungs were clear other than the fluid from the pneumonia congestion. They tapped his chest and removed a liter of fluid and he was breathing much better.
Two months later we return with the congestion again. This time it showed lung cancer had filled his right bronchial tube and lung. It had even gone to the lymph nodes and chest cavity down to the kidneys. Dad decided to not pursue any treatment and to let the cancer run its course. That was on April 7^th. He went home with Hospice of the Valley providing nurses, doctors, aides, and pharmacy. They even set up a hospital bed at home. It was the best possible care and at home as he wanted. We kept him as comfortable as possible and he had time to say his goodbyes. Twenty days later he slipped away peacefully. Mom had spent the morning holding his hand. I had given him his meds at 8:30 and he nodded that he was in no pain. I told him again of the plans we had made to get a new car so I could take Mom to California to see my sister Jo and her family in their new home. We had not taken a vacation in a long time, since he had his stroke in 2005, seven years ago. So he was happy I was taking Mom on the trip. He smiled a half droopy smile. The previous stroke symptoms had reappeared. Fifteen minutes later he slipped away. The aide had come to change the bedding and he was gone.
Mom accepted it all very easily, as if he were a stranger. I knew it would hit her in a moment of clarity, but even when it did it wasn’t very emotional. It wasn’t until a week later that it really hit her. Her sister from Maine was visiting and her younger sister who lives here winters was here as well. When we are talking about him she finally realized he was gone and she broke down.
Over the Memorial at home and at the Cemetery she seemed a bit confused and we stayed close. Sometimes she thinks it was her Father who passed away. When she does understand it was her husband, she comments how strange it is so many people have passed recently. Actually he is the only one recently, the others have been gone 30 years or more. But in her mind it all happens now, fresh everyday.