I slipped and fell. My hip fractured, surgery would make it better. But it didn’t. My body was too weak to fight. I couldn’t cough and deep breathe; I stayed in bed. I had nausea and vomiting. I couldn’t breathe. I became weaker and weaker, until my family noticed. The medics rushed me into the ER. My blood pressure was 62/34. For how long? The ER nurses and doctors tried to “jump start” me. They gave me lots of IV fluids because I was dehydrated. But I couldn’t urinate. My kidneys had shut down. My liver was in shock, and my skin was yellow. Jaundiced.
I ended up in the ICU. The ICU doctors talked to you two. My darling daughters. He said I wasn’t doing very well. That my body was septic. I started to fade away. I’d mumble one minute, and the next minute I was clear as a whistle. I faded in and out. I knew you would stay with me. In that ICU room. I knew you wouldn’t leave me alone.
I knew I was going to die. But I was OK with that. I was 84 years old. I had a wonderful life. 60 plus years of marriage to my high school sweetheart. He still made my heart flutter.
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