Waiting

We have been advised that Matt's death is eminent. Michael was a mess upon hearing the news yesterday afternoon and his sister Anna asked us to phone their dad. I ended up making the phone call as Michael was unable to speak.

Mary phoned later in the evening, the doctors had explained to her that Matt was never leaving the hospital. She had been expecting him to be released to go home. He was hallucinating and they had removed the morphine and the feeding tube. I don't know why but that is what was reported to us.

So terribly sad. So unusual that the youngest sibling is going to be the first to die. Michael reminded me yesterday about his Aunt Patty's son Sean, the youngest of four, who died in his early 20s. Michael's Uncle Jerry's son, the youngest of two children, also died young just about five years ago. Both were killed in motorcycle accidents.

Anna also told us that the VA will pay for the burial or cremation expenses and that her husband, a public defender, will do all the paperwork. It felt so odd to even be discussing this right now.

So today, we will both be going separately into our Saturday routines but each will keep a cell phone close at hand at all times.