Have you ever tried to block out moments from your life?
Have you ever wished that time would stop so that the inevitable won't happen?
For the past four days, I have tried to do both.
My Uncle Richard (Tio Pilingy) has been sick for some time now. He is my mom's brother, and they have always been very close.
My sisters and I grew up treating him like a second father, and he treated us like daughters. Sometimes people are not close to their aunts and uncles, but this was not the case with ours. We saw him everyday growing up. He lived with our grandmother for a while, and when he re-married, would still come to visit her everyday. His excuse was always to pick up the daily newspaper. He could have bought his own subscription, but he didn't because that gave him a reason to go see her everyday. My grandmother even paid for his Sports Illustrated, and that would also be delivered to my grandmother. He was the best son, brother, father and uncle anyone could ask for.
When I think back of all the memories I have of him, I can't pick one, because there are so many. So many memories from when I was a little girl, up until I left Douglas. There was not one time, that I went to Douglas that I did not stop by his house to visit him. Last summer, we sat with him on his porch for over an hour. He finally told us to go, because he did not want me and the kids on the road to late. He had just had his bypass surgery, and he was looking real good.
Things always can change from one second to the next. He started having complications with his left foot. Circulation problems, a burn on his foot from a heating pad, and diabetes. He was not used to being cared for, because he always did the caring. My mom had been driving him to appointments and testing. She had been buying his groceries, and running his errands. When we called to tell him that our mom had suffered a heart attack, he cried and blamed himself. He said it was because she was doing so much for him. We told him that it was not the reason.
The day before my mom was released to go back to Douglas, she received a phone call from his step daughter. They were going to have to amputate his left leg. My mom cried for hours. The next day, on our way to Douglas, we stopped to see him. He was at Tucson Medical Center. He was in such good spirits. Happy to at least be alive. Again, we sat with him, and when he looked out the window and saw that it was getting dark, he sent us on our way.
That was the last time I saw him. My sister's, fortunately had been seeing him everyday. He was transferred nursing home in Douglas for rehabilitation. My middle sister has been Social Services there for 20 years. She saw him all day long. My oldest sister, would take him food and treats every chance she could. My mom was able to go visit him everyday, just like before she got sick.
On Friday, before I left to the airport, my sister called me to tell me that his right foot was starting to give him problems. She said that he was going to Tucson for a Dr.'s visit so that they can take a look at it. Later she called to tell me that they were going to try a procedure in which they inject a high dose of blood thinner to try and get the circulation going again. Otherwise, they were going to have to amputate his right leg to. He was told that this procedure had a 5% chance of causing a brain hemorrhage. He understood, and went ahead with the procedure. He did not want to lose his right leg to.
On Saturday, while watching the Tucson Dance Academy program, I received a text from my sister. She said that I needed to call her. When I did, I was told that he fell in the 5% and he had a brain hemorrhage. They had to surgically relieve some of the pressure, and at that point, there was no brain activity. I was devastated. She told me that they were going to wait 48 hours and hope for improvement. For the past four days, I have been hoping and praying for a miracle. I have tried to block out the inevitable. Today, my sister called to tell me that they were turning off his life support.
All I know, is that I'm going to miss him so much!! Even though I know where he is going, I still wish he wasn't. I have to let go, and pray that he does not suffer anymore. That God will take him soon, and finally end his suffering. I Love You Tio!! I will Miss You!!!
Have you ever wished that time would stop so that the inevitable won't happen?
For the past four days, I have tried to do both.
My Uncle Richard (Tio Pilingy) has been sick for some time now. He is my mom's brother, and they have always been very close.
My sisters and I grew up treating him like a second father, and he treated us like daughters. Sometimes people are not close to their aunts and uncles, but this was not the case with ours. We saw him everyday growing up. He lived with our grandmother for a while, and when he re-married, would still come to visit her everyday. His excuse was always to pick up the daily newspaper. He could have bought his own subscription, but he didn't because that gave him a reason to go see her everyday. My grandmother even paid for his Sports Illustrated, and that would also be delivered to my grandmother. He was the best son, brother, father and uncle anyone could ask for.
When I think back of all the memories I have of him, I can't pick one, because there are so many. So many memories from when I was a little girl, up until I left Douglas. There was not one time, that I went to Douglas that I did not stop by his house to visit him. Last summer, we sat with him on his porch for over an hour. He finally told us to go, because he did not want me and the kids on the road to late. He had just had his bypass surgery, and he was looking real good.
Things always can change from one second to the next. He started having complications with his left foot. Circulation problems, a burn on his foot from a heating pad, and diabetes. He was not used to being cared for, because he always did the caring. My mom had been driving him to appointments and testing. She had been buying his groceries, and running his errands. When we called to tell him that our mom had suffered a heart attack, he cried and blamed himself. He said it was because she was doing so much for him. We told him that it was not the reason.
The day before my mom was released to go back to Douglas, she received a phone call from his step daughter. They were going to have to amputate his left leg. My mom cried for hours. The next day, on our way to Douglas, we stopped to see him. He was at Tucson Medical Center. He was in such good spirits. Happy to at least be alive. Again, we sat with him, and when he looked out the window and saw that it was getting dark, he sent us on our way.
That was the last time I saw him. My sister's, fortunately had been seeing him everyday. He was transferred nursing home in Douglas for rehabilitation. My middle sister has been Social Services there for 20 years. She saw him all day long. My oldest sister, would take him food and treats every chance she could. My mom was able to go visit him everyday, just like before she got sick.
On Friday, before I left to the airport, my sister called me to tell me that his right foot was starting to give him problems. She said that he was going to Tucson for a Dr.'s visit so that they can take a look at it. Later she called to tell me that they were going to try a procedure in which they inject a high dose of blood thinner to try and get the circulation going again. Otherwise, they were going to have to amputate his right leg to. He was told that this procedure had a 5% chance of causing a brain hemorrhage. He understood, and went ahead with the procedure. He did not want to lose his right leg to.
On Saturday, while watching the Tucson Dance Academy program, I received a text from my sister. She said that I needed to call her. When I did, I was told that he fell in the 5% and he had a brain hemorrhage. They had to surgically relieve some of the pressure, and at that point, there was no brain activity. I was devastated. She told me that they were going to wait 48 hours and hope for improvement. For the past four days, I have been hoping and praying for a miracle. I have tried to block out the inevitable. Today, my sister called to tell me that they were turning off his life support.
All I know, is that I'm going to miss him so much!! Even though I know where he is going, I still wish he wasn't. I have to let go, and pray that he does not suffer anymore. That God will take him soon, and finally end his suffering. I Love You Tio!! I will Miss You!!!
Comments
Prayers for you and your family, my friend.