What a week. I don't know where all the time went. It feels as though I've been floating through the days.
Last Tuesday (it feels so long ago) I drove out to the suburbs in Jaime's car. My grandfather Opa had been moved from the hospital to a nursing home. I met my uncle at the home, and Opa was lying in bed. His IVs, tubes, and other foreign plastic intrusions were gone, so I was thankful for that. He was gasping for air, gulping it down, gesturing in the air at something that wasn't there. He reached for my hand and gently squeezed the tears out of me. I kissed his forehead, rubbed his earlobes, stroked his shoulders, told him how much I love him. And when I told him that, he gasped for air quickly, attempting and failing to speak. He then held my hand and pulled it over his heart. I left the nursing home at 4:30; he died at 5:30.
Last Tuesday (it feels so long ago) I drove out to the suburbs in Jaime's car. My grandfather Opa had been moved from the hospital to a nursing home. I met my uncle at the home, and Opa was lying in bed. His IVs, tubes, and other foreign plastic intrusions were gone, so I was thankful for that. He was gasping for air, gulping it down, gesturing in the air at something that wasn't there. He reached for my hand and gently squeezed the tears out of me. I kissed his forehead, rubbed his earlobes, stroked his shoulders, told him how much I love him. And when I told him that, he gasped for air quickly, attempting and failing to speak. He then held my hand and pulled it over his heart. I left the nursing home at 4:30; he died at 5:30.
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