In just one week, we all see, he is getting less and less strong. He is disconnecting from everything.

In just one week, we all see, she is getting more scared, sadder. She is trying to keep it together.

We are spending all of our time together, my sisters, mother and I. Dad is off in the other room, resting and resting and resting.

When he is awake, he’ll watch the home renovations shows on HGTV.

When he is awake, I will sit there and watch it with him, watching him mostly, drift in and out, very few words said. He simply doesn’t have the strength.

My mother goes into the ‘other room’ often.

My mother comes out of the ‘other room’ crying, often.

She is my mother, but she’s also a woman, feeling loss and lost.

We are as strong as we can be but we are all reacting in our own ways.

I see my mother, my friend.

Your parents, whether you live close by to them or far away, they are always there. They are supposed to be there. There is comfort in that.

No one prepares you for the time to let go.

There’s no book on how to behave or what to expect when you’re expecting death.

What do you do?

And we are all so different.

Kathy is angry.

Karin is quiet.

Mom is emotional.

I’m just trying to keep us together in acceptance of all of our feelings. We all have a right to be angry, quiet and emotional. I want everyone to feel the way they should in each moment and let it out. But it’s hard to listen when your feelings are the loudest thing in the room.

Karin, my ‘older by only a year sis’ and I went to the movies.

Movies are Karin’s great escape. TV and movies. She knows movies and TV better than anyone I know and sees everything.

We went to see ‘Marley and Me’. Just the two of us.

So, the movie was good. There were too many children there, laughing and making jokes. I don’t think it’s a kid’s movie ‘cause, spoiler alert, there’s a miscarriage and the dog dies.

Three scenes were ruined for me because a dad behind me was trying to explain the miracle of life to his young son who didn’t know where babies came from.

Not the most appropriate time, but then again, every behavior seems to be acceptable in movie theatres these days.

Anyway, the Searle family is very connected to the family dog, Daisy.

The death of Marley is very sweet and emotional.

However, when it happens, I look over to Karin and see her crying.

She’s sobbing, quietly and I know it’s not about the dog.

She is also the queen of unnecessary touch, which I don’t understand, but I respect.

I reach over and just to squeeze her hand, to let her know that I understood. Then I was going to let go. I thought it would
make her uncomfortable.

But, she kept my hand, for the rest of the movie. I gave her my slightly used tissue.

Then I cried. I had no tissue.

Only sisters could share tears and tissues.

We shared a room for 16 years and I never felt closer to her.

We never said a word about it after.

It was just a moment.

The saddest moment, but the best I’ve ever had with my best friend.

I'm so lucky and grateful.