Here’s a Happy One

For the past year and a half we have been keeping a running total of the deaths due to Covid. Thankfully, for the most part I have been untouched. Up until a few months ago I didn’t even know anyone that had been sick, other than a few celebrities and the odd politician and frankly I wouldn’t be upset to see some politicians die a horrible death. So far, my hated few politicians are frustratingly healthy. I live to dream though.

 

While all of this Covid nonsense has been afflicting the world, our regular tragic deaths have continued. Somewhat less traffic deaths than normal and my province reported zero flu deaths this year, probably because we have been washing our hands on a regular basis, keeping away from other people and wearing masks. I for one will keep following protocol in the future. I didn’t get sick once this winter. Old age keeps creeping up on us, a lifetime of poor eating habits cause clogged arteries and our poor lungs have been dealing with any number of horrible things in the air. Life goes on, or is that death will out.

 

My wife’s cousin is going through a terrible time with her aging mother. She has had to move into a care facility and can no longer do the things she has done her entire life. Her body just won’t follow the brain’s orders any longer. She wakes up every morning being disappointed that she didn’t die in her sleep. There were times I wished the same thing at the Post Office, but I always knew that there would be better days ahead. She doesn’t have that luxury.

 

Recently a blood clot was detected and it had to be surgically removed. It was a dangerous procedure and there was a very good chance that she wouldn’t make it, but the risk had to be taken. Well, the operation was a success but she was terribly disappointed that she didn’t die. The last we heard, she has stopped eating and drinking and I suspect that the care providers are making her transition easier for her. It is a shame that we can’t help ease our loved ones into the next world as we do our pets, it would be kinder and much more humane.

 

My mom suffered a severe stroke and I had to make the difficult decision to let her go. The hospital stopped feeding and watering her but provided her with morphine to ease the pain. It took seven heart wrenching days for her to pass and I wondered if I had made the correct choice. I still wonder. 

 

If there is a God and a Heaven, I may show up at the Pearly Gates and be denied entry because I killed my mother. I hope not, because I have a few things that I would like to talk to God about…