Good Friday

I am going to be so late for work and I don't care...

There was no change with Papaw. They have now determined it was a blood clot which caused a heart attack. They found him flatlined in his room and worked on him for 25 minutes.

After my last entry, I decided to call into work and go to the hospital. I just had a strong urge that I should go so I took my Mom and Stella with me. We stayed from 9-12. I saw Papaw in ICU - all hooked to machines. It's just heartbreaking because he was still strong as an ox and so active. To see him like this is just not right. Uncle Greg told me that bringing Stella up there was the best medicine for Mamaw and everyone...I'm so glad I went that morning. We have been back to visit but being there that morning was "nice" for me.... if that makes any sense.

That evening, Stella and I did stay home while all of the family was up there after work. Toby told me that all the young girls from Food Lion were up there - in his room, holding his hands, wiping the sweat off his forehead. Now that is the true testament of an amazing man. He had friends of all ages - everyone loved him to bits.

Yesterday different doctors came throughout the day to make their assessments and basically, he is not going to make it. His brain function was less than 5% and his heart was only 10-15%.

They are taking him off life-support at 11am today. Toby and I both decided to go to work and stay "distracted" and meet up with the family later today.

We went up there last week (when we thought he was just in there cause he was feeling kind of bad) and we strolled Stella in his room and he bolted up in the bed and held his arms out and said "Gimme my baby!!" and right at that moment, the nurse came in and said "She can't be in here" and pulled her stroller backwards out the door. The image of Papaw sitting up in his bed, with his arms stretched out, and that baby being taken away is just screwing with me hard. It's the last image I have of him.

We spent last night in the ICU waiting room with everyone...The family is devestated. Toby is devestated beyond comprehension. And it's crazy how death can do this, but Toby has had silent fueds with a couple cousins that we used to be pretty close to...they haven't spoken in years. Before we went to the hospital, Toby said "I'll be nice but I don't have a whole lot to say to Chris." Well, at one point, I look over and Toby just makes a beeline across the waiting room and grabs Chris and they hug and cry for a long time.

Everyone will be OK...but this is just so hard. I only knew the man for 5 years. He was Toby's hero all his life.

Say some prayers for the Creekmore family, would ya? :)