Losing Love

From MemoryArchive

Who: Claudy G
What: Death of a beautiful man
When: August 30, 2006
Where: Miami, Florida

While driving down Lyons Road in Coconut Creek, FL, one Thursday evening. Stephanie was trying to sing to a song blaring on the radio. I receive a call from my dad's wife. Your dad is on the way to North Shore hospital. "Not again" was my reply. You see, my dad suffered from a stroke earlier that year because of his addiction to alcohol. Dr's tried to get him to understand the signifigance of his drinking and told him, "If you continue to drink, you will die". He understood, but didn't seem to consider the impact it would have on our family if we lost him. He did not consider the impact it would have on Me.

Anyway, Evelyn said 'I'm at work and can't get to him in time. I called my one of my younger brothers to meet the ambulance at the hosiptal. When Al arrived, my dad was coherent, but he was not at the same time. "Why, are you doing this" my brother asked. He called me from the hospital room. I asked to speak to my dad. trying to fight back my emotion, asked, why was he doing this to me. In a whisper, he said "I'm going to stop", 'I'm not going to drink anymore". The dr came in and my brother stated that he had to go. Al later called back and said that 'Papi" is dying, and they are going to be moving him to Critical Care. His pancreas was no longer producing platelets, and his liver had a lot of holes. He was going to go through withdrawal, and it is this withdrawal may kill him. Papi was not strong enough to go through this.

We kepy vigil at the hospital, he was breathing on his own initially. They had to sedate him, so that he could go through the withdrawal. We spoke to him, we spoke to some of the doctor's that provided some hope. Then while he was pulling into the 8th day at the hospital, he was transferred to Life support. The hospital continually called me for permission to administer meds through IV, as I was his proxy along with his wife. Each time i visted him, he would sleeping and shivering. They told me he could hear me, but all he did was sleep and shiver. I tried to warm him up each time I was there. On Sunday, I spoke to the doctor, and he told me that his kidneys failed and his pancreas was not functioning and only thing that was working was his brain. Then, it hit me, I really was going to lose my dad. My mom represnted the sun rising, and my dad was the moon. I knew death existed, it was never this close. My sister gave birth 4 days prior.

Tuesday, August 29, the state of Florida is preparing for a probable hurricane. Hurricane Hugo, Javier, I can't recall right now, but my siblings and I were all on the phone talking about Papi and making sure everyone was ok for the potential hurricane. Wednesday, August 30, 2006, at 4:24 am, I receive a call that startles me from my slumber. HealthNet appears on the caller id. A call from "Apple", jovially, calls to announce the death of my father, the death of world.