Admitted a number of days previous, following a rapid decline, she still fought the whole time
Because that what she was like, if you were in the wrong she was the worst person in the world to cross, but if you were right shed back you to the last stand.
On Monday afternoon, Dad, Derek and Myself were called in for a meeting with the ICU Consultant, he lay out the hard facts, facts that we knew were coming, but yet did no want to hear, you had a cardiac arrest that morning and they had brought you back, but for what? The inevtiable was just being delayed.
There was nothing anyone could do, other than to let you go, Robert was away and couldn't get home until the next morning, so we asked to keep you going until then, then we'd let you go. It was the only humane and fair thing to do.
The next day your treatment was wound down, medications were stopped other then pain relief.....yet you still kept fighting! Vital signs that would signal the end for most, yet you kept going....for many hours!
Tears were shed, final words were had, we urged you to go, to end your suffering, but like everything you were doing things on your time.
Eventually all treatment was ended and finally, for the first time in your life, you backed down. You never lost a fight in your life, even when you did, you wouldn't admit it.
We had your wake and people from all over came to pay their respects, people I hadn't seen in years, or people I'd never seen before. Afterwards we went for a drink, my mate bought you a vodka and coke and left it at the head of the table, he was scared you'd haunt him as you never paid for the vodka, you always brought it with you.
The following day we had your funeral, even that you had planned! The priest was your friend, the music was of your choosing. The church was full, the crowd spilled outside, such was the effect you had on people.
As we carried you outside to the hearse my colleagues formed up in a guard of honour, perfect uniforms, standing bolt upright at attention, officers saluting you, that really effected me, the pride I felt cannot be explained in words.
As my O/C said "You may not have been an official member, but you supported me, you ironed uniforms and missed out on my company while I was on duty."
We buried you in a quiet graveyard you picked out yourself. A family friend is behind you and the chap next to you had "I told you I was sick" on his headstone.....you'll get along with the neighbours so.
Don't mind us, well get along just fine, you made sure of that! You had everything sorted before you went, new kitchen, new car, affairs put in order, you must have known, yet wouldn't tell us.
Not one person thinks you lost you'r fight, a former teacher and a personal friend of mine said "Alan, I know where you get your stubbornness from now, she was one hell of a woman"
"That she was Conor, that she was"
R.I.P. Joan McGee
12th June 1953 - 17th May 2011
Love, Eamonn, Derek, Paul, Robert, Alan and Duke
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