Just came back from the hospital again… for the last time.
When I arrived there today, at about 4, the place was packed with all Bron’s family and friends. More than yesterday, this time they really did take up every seat in the waiting rooms, and more… there must have been forty or more people there. I’ve never seen so much love and care in one place before.
Bron had an EEG (ECG?) or somesuch performed today… the results were given to the family in a private conference, and weren’t really detailed to anyone else… the test took a lot longer than expected, which I guess is the most obvious warning sign.
The decision was made to take her off life support tonight. Everyone who was capable was able to visit her briefly one last time, to say their good-byes, or whatever else. And I thought yesterday was emotional.
So, at around 7pm tonight, life support was disconnected. She passed away shortly after. The doctors promised to give her plenty of painkillers, so it would have been completely painless… but overnight she stopped responding to optical stimuli, and had started to swell, especially her head… I guess fluid retention, which is always one of the worst signs… I don’t know what the brain scan results were, but I suspect they confirmed what had already been whispered… that there was little or no activity… it may be that Bron, as we know her, passed away some time ago. As her mother says, she really died on Sunday, and it’s just been our privilege to keep her alive this long, so we could see her again and say our goodbyes.
I guess that’s something.
And though I faltered a little in the last hours, I never gave up all hope. I didn’t know how to say it then, but I guess I do now… I’d only give up when she did. She lasted longer than anyone expected – doctors, her family, everyone else… she was a fighter to the bitter end.
I’m not religious in any way, but if there’s an afterlife, I’m sure she’s happy now, in the best place anyone could be. I guess now we need to try to remember her fondly, for all the good times, and celebrate her life.
There’s a song that now comes to mind, which I’ll include here for anyone who cares to listen. It’s by Hootie and the Blowfish, called “Not Even the Trees”…
When he looks at me
Won’t you tell me
Does he realize he came down here
And he took you too soon
[edit: song removed]
