Wow. How things can change in a week. Last Monday it was cold, windy and
raining, and a I still had a mother. last Monday morning I had a call that
she had been taken to the hospital by ambulance because she was having
trouble breathing. She seemed to be in good spirits when we visited her in
the ER and she was on oxygen. She was admitted to the progressive care
unit. The next day I went to see her and she was quite confused. On
Wednesday we were taking turns going in at meal time to help her eat.
Early Thursday morning she had a stroke. My brothers and I took turns
sitting with her. I went home in the late afternoon, not expecting to have
to go back, but I returned to the hospital just before midnight. An hour
and a half later she slipped away quietly on my watch.

The timing is never good. One brother and SiL are leaving this week for a
month long trip to England and Ireland. Another brother is in the process
of moving. Ironically, after living a few hours drive away and retiring,
he wanted to move closer to his mother. A nephew has just left for a three
week vacation on the west coast.

Cremation has taken place. We will be having a memorial service for her in
June. It seems a long way off. My brothers and I were all there for the
last four days of her life and we are comfortable postponing ceremonies for
a month and a half, but our children are uncomfortable with it.

We are arranging for the the church women to provide sandwiches and
goodies. We will be having family and some close friends back to our house
for a BBQ afterward. So we have from now to mid June to come up with a a
good assortment of food to serve.