My Father Passing

My father past away May 11th, 3:15AM, 2016.  I received a call from my mother on Wednesday, May 4th around 11PM.  She said my father had fallen out of bed and could not move.  She called 911 and was on the way to the hospital.  She asked me to call me sister to meet her there.  I told my sister and she called me an hour later and said it was not good news.  

There was a large blood clot in my dad's brain and he probably wasn't going to make it, much longer.  The technical terms was a subdural hematoma.  The doctors believe it was a side effect of the blood thinner medication, Coudamin (aka Warfain). He had been taken that medication after finding a blood clot in his leg, five years early.  

My brother and I flew in the next day.  My Dad was still alive, but remain unconscious.  He was on a respirator and the family had to make a decision weather to keep him alive on machines or to pull life support.  

My mother was adamant that my father would not want to live on machines.  The doctors indicated that there was a possible surgical procedure, but low probability that he would regain full function of his body and would most likely need around the clock care, if he survived.  

The family decided to pull the equipment and let our Dad go.  We did this on Saturday afternoon and my Dad continue to breath fine.  They moved him to a different floor to wait out his remaining days. The family continued a vigil for the next few days around the clock.   Two of my Aunts came and we took turns watching my Dad.  

 It took four days, but finally on Wednesday morning, my brother saw that he had stop breathing at 3:20AM.  My dad was cremated and three days later we held a memorial service at my childhood Church of the Assumption.  I placed my Dad's ashes in the Columbarium inside the Church.  I found out later that it is one of a kind in the Catholic Church.  Father Norris had built it first and asked forgiveness later.