EARLY FRIDAY MORNING

The night nurse in the terminal ward was amazing. She met me at the elevator with a mask and let me in Jeannettes room despite my cold. It's only now I realize if I weren't so sick I would have been sitting in Gem ID class with my cell turned off, Chris may not have contacted me in time to be there for him and for the last three hours of her life. Since it was just Chris and his dad I needed to be there, for myself as well as them. Things do happen for a reason, I guess.
The three of us sat with her watching her shallow breathing with just an oxygen mask, no tube. We told her it was time to go and we would all take care of each other so she didn't have to worry. The nurse said she truly believed that most of the time the dying can hear you, I agree.
She was very kind and brought us snacks and drinks, also coming in every 10 minutes to make sure Jeannette got a steady morphine amount to keep her completely comfortable at the end. The nurse came in at exactly the right moment, knowing when to remove the mask and give the last morphine injecton. She said "tell me about her" and we talked for a few minutes.
Jeanette took a few deep labored breaths While the nurse held one hand Chris held the other and I stroked her hair, Larry had to turn around and take a couple of breaths for himself at this point, his heart was breaking. We told her we loved her and the nurse said "thank you for letting me take care of you" as Jeannette passed . She left us alone with her for a couple of minutes and it was done. Nothing but random electrical impulses going through the body. No more pain.
Thank you to the nurse who's name I was too flustered to remember. Everything you did was carefully timed and planned to help us all through this, I am just now seeing that. You were never pushy or obtrusive, just kind and helpful.
We opted for an autopsy as UW is a teaching hospital and she was a teacher. She would be happy to know students are going to continue to learn from her even after her death.
Maybe she can help save someone else in the future.
Many of you have asked what can you do.
Call your mom.