It's weird to think you can schedule someone's passing, but I guess when all you have to do is tell the doctor to take a patient off life support, you can schedule it. I guess if I were Grandpa, I'd want to be surrounded by children and grandchildren in the last moments, rather than alone in a hospital bed.
When requesting time off from work and in cancelling social engagements for tomorrow, it's technically incorrect right now to say it's a "death in the family" because it isn't yet. So I've been saying "due to a family emergency," which is deliberately vague but prompts more questions.
Said my goodbyes alone today instead of waiting for the family to arrive for tomorrow. Afterwards I went to the hospital chapel, mainly to avoid walking home with a blotchy face.
Hospital chapels are interesting places. At least this one was. It was both interfaith and nonfaith, if that makes any sense. There was a little desk with scriptures from three religions, low lighting, and flowers, and that was it. The background music reminded me of a massage therapist's room. In fact, the whole place was more like a relaxation room. Which is probably one of the points of having a hospital chapel.
It was a little ironic, though, for an agnostic to grieve for the biggest atheist she knows in a chapel.
3 comments:
the hospital i worked in had a catholic chapel (or christian, i guess), and an "interfaith" chapel, which seemed much like the one you're describing.
anyway, i'm sorry about your grandpa. i share your distaste for ICUs.
Heya, thinking of you.
Thanks
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