Sunday, June 21 began for… (edit)

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… me at 5 AM. I had slept in the bed that had been set up in the dining room from when my cousins visited the week before. Just around the corner in the living room was Mum in the hospital bed I had bought in January.I had stayed up the night before and allowed myself some sleep when I was satisfied that her breathing was regular.

I wished her good morning, administered a dose of medication and when I saw that her breathing was regular told her I would not be far away. I then brushed my teeth and sat to blog an update from the events of the day before. Once posted I also burned another cd of music she liked. For the 2 days previous music had been a constant… primarily from a cd I had made for her in 2004 that she enjoyed… songs I knew she liked. I thought a wider selection of songs would be nice. I went back and popped the cd in… new music… but still stuff she liked.

I sat with her for a while. Told her that I loved her very much and that I was starting my chores for the day… feeding the dogs and watering the vegebeds. Once completed I went back in with a cup of coffee and listened to more music with her. The cd I had burned earlier came back into its second rotation.

I opened the front door to let the (unusually) cool air ( for June) enter the house. I told her I would step out to water the ferns out front and would be back shortly. Ella Fitzgerald was singing “Take the “A” train” on the cd player. When I returned the song was still playing. I noticed her breathing had stopped. I checked but could not find a pulse. She was still warm. I kissed her forehead and thanked her for being my mother. On the cd player Tony Bennett sang “The way you look tonight”.

I placed a call to the hospice then stepped outside the house and placed calls to several friends who have been stalwarts in helping me through this time. As I did Nat King Cole sang “Smile” on the cd player.

The morning was gorgeous outside with streams of sunlight filtering through the branches of the trees on the street. The air was crisp and cool. Mum could not have picked a more beautiful morning nor a more perfect soundtrack to gracefully make her exit.


EDIT: Monday, June 22, 9 AM

I’ve decided to add the three songs that were mentioned in this blog post.