I Watched my Daddy Die

I sat there by the side of the bed.
The staff continued with their work,
looking over occasionally to see if he was gone.
It was very hard for him to breath.
He made very short breaths...almost gasps.
He struggled for each breath.

Many pictures flickered by in that short time.
(Although it didn't seem short at the time)
All the things you wanted to say and didn't.
All the things you did that caused pain.

I told the doctor "no life saving measures."
I know I was right.
He should have gone a couple of months before.
Methodist had to be paid.
They kept him going until he could go no more.
They then turned him out to die.
Not in a canoe or on an ice flow
but to a convalescence home.
No thought to dignity. He lasted one day.
Modern medicine is wonderful.




©Tuesday, January 17, 1995 Steve Lunsford