The moment of passing
Catharine Dewar, MD
CMAJ 1998;159:693
Dr. Dewar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine (Rheumatology), Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
© 1998 Canadian Medical Association
See also:
- Letter: Finding the right words
Sitting there beside his bed
she could be waiting for church to begin
A hat, gloves and a fresh print dress
On her lap is her purse
hands on top
waiting
He looks as ill as any I've seen
Cheyne-Stokes respirations
Hippocratic facies
She looks very proper
dignified
concerned
His mouth is open
His breathing is shallow now
She does not see this
She sees a bronzed Adonis striding on the beach
A healthy man, strong and confident,
arranging the flower beds
He's the one outside, with our garden, Doctor,
while I'm inside with the meals and our home
He does the driving
We have no children
Do you think he's comfortable, Doctor?
His blankets aren't very tidy today
They come and go
the doctors and nurses
attending to him on his last day
She does not see them
His hand lies still on his chest
She sees youthful fingers
proudly steadying her own
accepting his gold band
sixty-year-old vows
Struggling eyes calm
His breathing slows then ceases
And peace comes
erasing his pain
She sees, but does not recognize the moment
I take her hand and look into her eyes
pausing before I speak
I see her charming look fade
The worried lines have left his face
and settled on hers
She is an eighty-year-old widow now
Let me find the right words, the gentle words,
to help her understand
he's gone
She's all alone
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