As previously posted, my neighbor was hospitalized after we found him in his apartment. Unfortunately, due to circumstances, he’s no longer with us. He was in he hospital for about a week, numerous different specialists came in to look at his charts, run tests, and try to figure out what they can do to help him. The family found that the reason for his passing out was due to a major stroke on his left side, being as he was under sedation they had no real idea as to how badly this was going to effect him.
They slowly began to take him off of sedation but he was still unresponsive. After a week the doctors said that he really should show some signs of life other than the machines keeping him alive. They’d taken him off the ventilator a few times over the course of the week but he failed miserably to breath on his own. His daughter noted that he was just lifeless and blank. They found that his entire right side was paralyzed due to he stroke, and his heart was only functioning at 25%. The family had to make the unfortunate choice of removing the life support due to this.
Jake wasn’t one of those guys that would be OK living on life support in a hospital / nursing home. Knowing his personality, and who he was in general – having anyone make a fuss about him was just something he didn’t tolerate. He was surrounded with love and caring people but never wanted to bother anyone, no matter how he was feeling. I always ran errands for him, and had to make it clear everytime that it was never an inconvenience to me. Looking after someone is second nature for me, especially considering his closest family was a half hour away. I believe in my heart if it wasn’t for the fact that I knew his routine, he wouldn’t have been found in his apartment until it was too late. His family had the opportunity to say goodbye to him, and even though I didn’t, and it hurts really bad, things happening the way that they did were better for them.
I didn’t get the phone call until a week later, which was upsetting but I can’t totally be pissed because I understand that families in that situation have so much more going on. I’ve spoken to his son and daughter since then, his daughter was up here for two days this past week to clear his apartment out. A lot was left behind for donations/trash but there’s still a few weeks left in the month to clear the rest out. I know it was hard for her to go through everything. She noted on Friday that she wanted to knock on the door to thank me for all I’ve done but also said that she’s fine and on auto-pilot until she actually needs to speak with someone. That’s understandable for me, I personally don’t know where my mind is going to be if I was ever put into her shoes. I know at some point in the future I will be, but can’t mentally comprehend or stomach that thought right now. It actually turns my stomach to even think about that.
Either way. Jake was a wonderful man whom was a dear, dear friend of mine and he will be truly missed. He was there for me when Lucy passed away and remained in my life for a few years there after. His spirit was always there, unfortunately his body was holding him back. I catch myself talking to him when I’m outside having a cig, in my head things haven’t fully set in being as the memorial service is not scheduled until the end of the month. I believe after that point, and his apartment being completely cleared out – things will finally hit me to the point that I have the breakdown that I feel coming on. I’m not on auto-pilot by any means, I’ll admit I’ve been out of it, and weapy for the past week. Today is really the first day I’ve sat down and got my feelings out.
I know I don’t blog very often, and when I do I tend to complain or have some major life changing event going on. Regardless, I’ll still use this as my outlet because I tend to revert back to old habits when the shit hits the fan.
