Reflecting

Kaye was admitted to the hospital last week with an infection at the last surgical site on her right foot. That required a surgery and IV antibiotics. All sites above the waist were no longer functioning for such purpose, so a line was placed in her groin. In addition to being uncomfortable, she was not able to get up, even to sit in a chair. Now, the left foot was presenting problems, so an intervention (angioplasty to increase blood flow to the foot, another surgery) was scheduled for Friday at noon. The doc was called away on an emergency, so changed it to Monday. I went on Saturday to take her lunch and spend the afternoon. We had a good visit. As usual, she wanted to know what I'd been doing, then went through Handy Man and each kid, their spouse and their kids, and I filled her in on everyone. It was bittersweet to me. I had felt very, well I don't know, but just sensed our time was short. Usually, in her presence I try to be very upbeat about her recovery. On Saturday, I cried and told her how it broke my heart each time something hurt her and how very sad I was that we couldn't make her better. She just sadly nodded and told me she loved me. I can only say that it seemed to me the light had gone out of her eyes.

She went to surgery Monday afternoon and after surgery, things went south. Pete got to go back with her for a bit between surgeries, and she told him she was dying and to call the children. Apparently, in surgery, something was nicked and she was bleeding internally. I was there for the second surgery. The surgeon's report sounded vague- the bleeding had stopped, they do this all the time, they don't what went wrong, they couldn't find the source of the bleeding, he thought he'd stabilized her, maybe. Then the Rocky Horror Picture Show when they came out and told us they had put her on a respirator. Hmmm, that was not one of my finer moments. As best I can recall, that was about 11 something. She died at 3:30.

I would not bring her back here to face thirty seconds more of what her life had become, but I will miss her so. She was precious to me.

Elinda Kaye Howard

Newcomers Funeral Home Grantline Rd

Sunday 2-8

First Assembly of God Church

9-11 Funeral at 11 Burial in Brandenburg KY

Thank you for the many thoughts and prayers for our family