July 20th, 2009
7:00 am I held her hand and kissed her face with the arrival of a sunny
beautiful morning, hoping for a miracle. The shift change was in full swing.
Staff checking in, charts being reviewed, doctors and nurses exchanging
information; vital signs being verified. Debbie’s breathing is labored as it
had been for the last twenty four hours. I never knew if each breath would be
her last. The cancer is running its course through her beautiful body at a terrible
pace. An aide came in to change the sheets and clean her up. She asked if I
would like her to wash Debbie's hair. I pondered the thought for a minute
looking at the love of my live and replied in a hushed, choked tone, “She would
like that. How long will it take you to change her bed and wash her hair?” She
said about fifteen minutes. I stepped out of the room and called her friend
Cathey to get an estimated time of arrival. She assured me she would be at the
hospital within thirty minutes.
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