A couple of good weather days! Akka is on her porch. Her sense of humour is showing up again. She chuckles at being a bag of bones with a pregnant belly. She chuckles at how slow she is speaking. But the pain changes and continues to increase. The fentanyl accordingly gets ramped up. Once again, she ends up in the Perth emerg. Another “portal in her body” to allow different meds to be adminstered at home without a nurse.
She has very good visits, especially with both Stephan and Alex. Gorgeous weather days outside observing her gardens and seeing the first spring shoots.
On April 23rd, Akka had a delicious egg meal again. She went to bed and crossed her fingers saying “tomorrow more energy”. That night, not long after midnight, the last emergency began. She returned, 12 hours later, from the Perth hospital to die at home, as she had planned to do. A final gift to the family, allowing us all to be with her in the most beautiful place that she had created to say goodbye.
Ayya Medhanandi and Sister Anaruddha from Sati Saraniya Hermitage chanted at her bedside, the morning of the 25th. Click here to listen to the beautiful chant.
Akka was wearing a beautiful silk dress and favourite shirt, surrounded by precious items she had gathered from the earth and the fresh flowers that had recently been gifted. All the daffodils that had just started blooming in her garden went with her. The little guardian angel that Ans had knitted was pinned to her lapel and she was holding a little woolen heart from Pap.
We had a little ceremony at home before driving to the crematorium in Nango’s car. Lisa Brunet was there to guide us throughout.We read poems at the Crematorium and Nango sang her song.
The Art of Dying Gracefully 