This is one journey I could never have expected so soon. We’d been married 43 years if he had lived until August 4th. He passed away on May 5th, 2019, around 2:30 a.m. It’s easy to remember that time because I was sound asleep when something woke me. I automatically glanced at the clock because it was still very dark. It was Sunday morning. He woke me up and said frantically, “Call an ambulance! I’m in pain.” So I did, thinking the whole time it was his gallbladder because that had been an ongoing issue.
When the ambulance arrived, I couldn’t get the front double doors open, so I had them go in through the garage door. Mitch was on his knees, slouched over a chest seat I had at the top of the stairs on the landing. When they reached him, they stood him up and walked him down the stairs out to the ambulance. I was still clueless about what was really happening. Everything moved at a casual pace, still appearing that it wasn’t major. The ambulance sat outside for quite some time when I realized I couldn’t go to the hospital because Mitch’s truck was blocking me in the garage. No big deal, they’re still sitting there. I asked one of the paramedics to please get the keys for me.
Finally, the ambulance left for the hospital with me right behind them. Are you noticing anything here? There was no sense of urgency. I’m downstairs in the emergency room waiting room when I’m called to the back area and see a gurney that I thought Mitch was lying on…still thinking all is well. The next thing I know, a pastor is sitting beside me, making conversation. He asked me, “Would you like to call your church pastor?” My response: “No, I’m good.” Can you imagine what he must have thought with “I’m good!”
Then one of the nurses asked me, “Did no one come and get you?” No one had said a thing. “They’ve taken your husband upstairs.” Oh, ok, still not having a clue what that meant. The pastor followed me up there and showed me a smaller waiting area. I noticed he kept getting text messages, and I kept thinking, I’m good. He could go home. Then it happened—CODE BLUE! I looked around and noticed I was the only one in the room. “That’s not my husband.” “Yes, ma’am, I’m afraid so.” A doctor came out and told me, “I’m sorry.” I’m sorry? What has just happened here? “Do you want to see him?” Gee, what do I say? Yes. I’ll leave out the details of that morning, from seeing him to leaving the hospital in his precious blue Nissan truck without him. The journey begins…
