07 Nov Patient Experience Day 43: A Breath of Fresh Air

I awake this morning and begin it as any other day. I turn the clock on my phone off and set it to silent. I begin to get ready. I check the news, twitter, and what my calendar looks like for the day.
I go back to check my phone and notice that I have a missed call. It is from my mother. Time stamp: 6:35 am.
I call my mother and she answers. Her voice is calm, and she says to me, “Hello.”
I respond in saying, “Sorry. Woke up and put my phone on silence. Called as soon as I saw the missed call.”
She replies, “He’s gone.” Before I get a chance to ask the next question my mother continues, “He passed around 1:30 am. I called the hospice team, and by the time they got there, and checked your dad, they officially pronounced him dead at 2:47 am.”
I ask her if she was with him. My mother says, “Yes. I woke up around 1 am to give him his medication. I gave it to him. He went back to sleep. A few moments later he took his last breath.”
I tell my mother that I have to do a few items to prepare for the day. I have to contact work and give them a heads up. As soon as I am done, I will be on my way. She tells me not to rush. She will make appointments for the funeral home, church, and other items and let me know. She tells me we can grab lunch and then do the work that needs to be done. She tells me not to call and tell anyone else in the family until we know all of the details. I say, “Okay.”
We tell one another that we love each other prior to hanging up the phone.
I take a deep breath. I exhale. I take one more. I grab my prayer cards and say the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Day 3 of the Novena. I tell my father that I love him and I am happy that he is starting his new chapter. A chapter free of suffering, of pain, of loss. A chapter filled with love.
Today I loss my father.
Today my father has a breath of new life.
Dad, I love you. God bless.
As always, you can feel free to contact me at: CANCERGEEK@GMAIL.COM
~CancerGeek