LIFE

Hola Amigas,

Como están?  Last week, Tuesday, September 10th, was my birthday.  A very eventful day it was.  I am sorry I did not post.  At approximately 5 a.m. I received a phone call from my step sister and step brother.   They both were calling me.  My Papi lives with his wife and step son.  Immediately, as I heard both my house and cell phone ring, I knew something was not right with Papi.  The day before I took him for a colonoscopy.  He was ordered to drink a gallon of gatorade along with other orders.  He tells me, in his account of the proceedings, he could not catch his breath and it got worst if he laid flat.  At 4 a.m. he went to the kitchen, drank a glass of milk, and made coffee but there was no air in his lungs. He woke his wife and told her to call 911.  She then woke her son and daughter who immediately called me.

It just so happened to be that my son, his wife, and son slept over.  As soon as I got the call, a very chaotic call, my step sis was screaming on the other end, I certainly thought Papi had died.  I started screaming "is he alive, is he alive?"  She said yes and with that my son and I flew to the hospital.  We got there before the ambulance.  They were still in front of the building, where Papi and his wife live, in the ambulance trying to get him to breath.  My son and I were there in seconds.  I ran into the ambulance.  The gentle EMS said to me "you can't be here."  I said "this is my father and I am not going anywhere."  He understood and asked me to step aside.  I did. Papi was the color of a white sheet.  I surely thought this was it.

The two gentle and gracious Latino EMS asked me to sit.  Papi's friend, who lives down the hall,  jumped in the ambulance.  The sirens went on and we were at the hospital, that is only 4 blocks away, in 2 seconds.  The nurse, also a Latina, assured me he was going to come out of it.  Papi's lungs had filled with fluid due to a weak heart that is not pumping at capacity.

Papi and the family were treated like humans.  We were not treated unkind or ignorantly.  I take this opportunity to thank all the Angels that touched our lives in those days.  They were all truly sent by the heavens to stand in our paths for us.  They all stood with and for us.  I will be forever grateful.

Also for all who were present who stepped in when I was too weak to do it all, all who called, all who prayed I thank you and will be forever grateful.

I am not prepared to lose my Papi.  Who ever is prepared to let go of a loved one?  I know he will not live forever.  I am grateful he did not go on my birthday.  That is all I selfishly thought "not on my birthday."  But when it comes to death I am selfish.  This is why I have to be grateful every second of everyday for the time I am given with my loved ones.

At a funeral recently I commented "this is the only time everyone gets together."  My gran Amiga replied "that's not true.  We always get together."  I realized she was right.  We are a group that gets together for any occasion and even no occasion at all.

To life.  Live it to the fullest and remind everyone in your life how much they mean to you.

With my heart full of love and gratefulness for all who surround me,

AlwaysAmiga,

Marilyn