It is just past ten-thirty in the morning. I stare into the beautiful blue sky, take a deep breath, exhale and think that now is time for me to gather control of my emotions and be the pillar of strength for my family.
Shortly after calling everyone, J arrives, then Ismenia with her husband, Norman and Norman’s girlfriend.
I warn them “She is up there. Please, try and remember her as she was. What you will see up there is not grandma. So be prepared. I’m gonna be down here waiting for my mom.”
An hour after calling my mother, I call my sister, “Hey where are you guys?” I
say with a sharp tone in my voice. “We have been waiting for you for over an hour. What’s taking you forever?”
“We’re rushing. The problem is that coming down the mountain they’re doing construction by the 15, and the four lanes become two lanes,” she says with frustration projecting from her voice.
“Okay, hurry it up. Talk to you later” I command before hanging up.
I return to the second floor to be with the other members of my family. Everyone’s eyes are red from crying. I inform Ismenia and J that as soon as my mother shows up with D we will meet with the doctor to discuss grandma’s condition; however deep inside my heart I know that all hope was lost. “Today is a good day to die.” I murmur to myself, quoting the line from the movie “Flatliners”
It is a quarter past one, when the final members of my family showed up. I prepare them for what they are about to see. As I expected they walk out weeping, mumbling why is this happening to her. This is the first time in decades that I have seen my family so united. Everyone is trying to console each other. I take command and huddle everyone in the waiting room where we exchange our thoughts and opinions about grandma.
“We need to speak to the doctor,” I begin. “I believe that the time has come where we decide whether we need to pull the plug. I don’t want her to suffer anymore. She has done enough suffering throughout her life and I want her to finally rest. She deserves to rest.”
Silence engulfs the room and slowly everyone begins to nod their heads in agreement, even though they don’t want her to die.
“I’ll go find the doctor so he can give us details of her condition.” I turn and walk out of the waiting room, towards the I.C. unit.
“Right this way. We can meet in this conference room. Please excuse the pizza boxes, we just had a meeting in here,” the doctor says as he continues to introduce himself and his staff of interns.
It is our turn to introduce ourselves. One by one we take turns introducing our selves and our relationship to grandma.