Lora's Five-Year Journey

It's 9pm on Sept. 7th. For 8 sleepless days, I've been at mom's side as she lay in a coma. I'm am totally spent. I cannot keep my eyes open a minute longer, so I tell mom that I am desperately tired and need to sleep for a short while but assure her that I will be right next to her in the recliner. which the head nurse brought into the room for me. I kiss mom goodnight and close my eyes. I sleep solidly and don't hear a sound, not even the flurry of activity that goes around me. The nurse wakes me up at 3am on Sept 8th and tells me it's time. I get up with a start and look at mom as she takes her last breath. Father Martin is already in the room giving mom the last rites. I join him in prayer. I am in the deepest depth of grief yet relieved to know that her suffering is over. She is on her way to Heaven and for me and John, it is over, after five, unbelievable years...it's finally over....or so I thought.