In about ten minutes my grandmother’s fate is decided. It is just past one-thirty when I turn in the paper with our names to the nurse. A clergyperson comes in to speak to us, gives us her condolences and offers a prayer for her. By now there are friends and other members of the family present bidding grandma a sorrowful goodbye. One by one they hold her hand and comment on how she has touched their lives. I am the last one to hold her hand before we give the nurse the authorization to turn off the life support machines.
“Grandma,” I say, “you have been my support, and my inspiration. You will always be in my heart. I will miss hearing you laugh and holding you close. I will miss you singing ‘happy birthday’ to me” and then I begin once again singing happy birthday. I am determined not to stop. “Happy…Birthday to me…” that is as far as I get. I begin crying like a little boy while in the background I can here my family and friends finishing what I had started “Happy Birthday to you.” Then there is a silence. I stand tall, wipe my tears away and walk to the nurse’s station.
“We are ready now.” I say.
At two-thirty two in the afternoon the process begins. The nurse informs us that the process can be as fast as minutes or as long as hours. He shakes my hand and gives us his condolences.
“Beep… Beep…. Beep… hiss… hiss… hisss”
I stand there holding her hand, watching the blood pressure monitor as it shows her pressure slowly dropping. “sniff… sniff” I can hear everyone sobbing.
My aunts and mom approach the bed and begin caressing her swollen face.
I hear one of them say “Mami, say hi to Estelita.” Estelita is my aunt who passed away at the age of nine due to pneumonia. “Say hello to Don F. Let him know that we still love him and think of him.” Someone continues.
I keep comforting my Grandma until I hear the unforgettable sound, “Beeeeeeepppp”
A flood of tears streams down. I look at the clock, “Time of death,” I say mournfully “three-thirty eight and twenty-eight seconds” She fought for an hour and six minutes.
The unending beeping stops when the nurse comes in to turn off the monitors.
There is a moment of silence and slowly one by one people approach Grandma kiss her swollen hand, give each one of the family members a hug and their condolences.
The remaining people in the room are my mom, J, Mari and I.
“Lets go” I say.
I walk over to Grandma, kiss her on her forehead and tell her “I love you. Now you can have your long await vacation. May you now rest in peace” while my tears are dripping on her.
I then turn around and walk out the room leaving her lifeless body behind.

Part 10 -The finale tomorrow.

Love & Light
To you and the Family,,

Your Oma ((( Grandma))) shall live within you and shine her Light upon your Soul,,,