22 May 2011. 3:20 a.m.

My mom passed away on 22 May 2011 at 320 in the morning.

Last Saturday, she potentially had a stroke. I spoke to her briefly on the telephone on Sunday. She said she didn't have a good night and she told me that she had to get off the phone.  That was the last time I spoke to her. I arrived at 930 pm on the 22nd.  Tina, Bill, Luanna, and my grandmother were there.
She was just a skeleton of her former self. Her cheeks were sunken. Her eyes were closed and she was making a rattly breathing sound. It was horrible. I spent some time with her and talked to her. There was no indication she could hear me, but I wanted to just talk. The kids told her they love her over the phone. Her breathing got slower over the next few hours. It got more rattly. We tried to help her be comfortable by shifting her around and she yelled out a few times. Then, the pauses between her breathing got very long. She opened her eyes. I got close to her and told her I love her. A tear rolled from her eye. She stopped breathing.

Good bye mom. You are loved and we miss you already.

Last breaths...

Tonight might be the last night for my mom. Her breathing has gotten rattley. She hasn't been conscious for some time. I am so grateful that she was able to stay alive until I arrived---just a few hours ago. She is very peaceful right now, though. She was restless and agitated last night--in so much pain. But right now she is still and calm.