Day 1:
it was a Saturday, and my dad wasn't feeling too good but
I didn't think much of it. I was sure he'd be good in no time. We went to the
hospital to visit and we spoke about 'Purple Hibiscus' -a book I had just
finished reading. "Daddy, how can a father pour hot water on his child's
leg? That's just mean!" "You need to read it daddy for real." My
dad replied " I'm still reading this big one Babatunde gave me."
We stayed in the hospital till late that night...
Day 2:
My dad said his final goodbyes today... but we didn't
realize it till he actually passed.
We were together all evening. The visiting time had
elapsed and just as we were about to leave, he told us not to. He asked that we
sat on the corridor and spent quality time with each other. He was the
only one who knew that the quality time would be the last conversation we were
going to have together as a family. He kissed my mum and I said
"ewwwww." I would never forget that Sunday; moments that I
would never be able to describe in words. They are all memories...that I would
forever cherish. No husband or father like him. We got home a bit after
midnight; I cried and I prayed myself to sleep because I desperately wanted for
him to feel better.
Day 3: whenever I think of day 3, I feel sad all over
again because it was a day I wish I could go back to and fix something.
6:18pm, I called my dad: "daddy I won't be coming to
the hospital today, I have a cold and I don't want you to catch it. I have been
sneezing all day." ...and He simply said ok. If I could turn back the
hands of time to spend day three with him...
It is harder to get closure knowing I could have done
something differently.
Day 4: I got a call at work at 2:19pm. It was my mum. She
didn't understand what the doctors were saying about a possible death. I
couldn't concentrate at work, so I asked for permission to leave. I went
straight to the hospital. We all prayed and just as if it happened yesterday, I
recall, clearly how my dad kept asking for a cold drink. I phoned my sister.
"I've never seen dad like this" I remember telling her. She got
a ticket and came over as quickly as she possibly could. At 10:46pm, I heard a
nurse saying "let's allow the family of bed 17 stay the night. he is
likely to pass so make them comfortable." My dad's bed was 17. What
a memory to attach those digits (in that exact order) to. My mum said all 3 of
us couldn't sleep over. I was to go home, get some rest to come back in the
morning so that my brother who would stay the night could go get some rest in
the morning after I had returned. It was the last time I saw my dad.
Day 5 : I went to bed at 2.30am and I woke up from a
dream around 4ish -what I'd call a nightmare. In the dream my dad had died and
for the first time I was too weak to rebuke such thoughts or dreams. In the
real world, My dad had passed around past 3. Although I wasn't aware of this, I
finally woke up at 6am to get ready for the hospital and saw 3 messages from my
cousins conveying their condolences for the passing of my dad. My response:
" it's ok, the devil is a liar. He is going to get well." They
realised I had no clue of his passing when they read "he is going to get
well ".
I got to the hospital to find my dad sleeping. I
smiled and said "oh... he slept when I left" but no one replied me.
There was a smile on his face some sort and I asked what painkillers they had
used for him and still no one replied me. He looked like he was still
breathing, I touched him and he was cold. I started to hit his chest, telling
him to wake up. This wasn't the type of sleep I wanted for him. At this
point, everyone left me in the room.
No day goes by without the thought of my dad. I know that
he will want my memory of him to be a happy one; of his peaceful smile. Every
time I say Ayodele ka re laye (meaning Ayodele did well in his lifetime) I
smile because he ran a good race and though his life here on earth is over, he
is resting in perfect peace. People say move on but how do you move on from a
great father. Someone who displayed love in his deeds and his words. How do you
move on from someone who gave you the best life ? How do you possibly move on
from one of the best relationships you had the privilege of enjoying on this earth?
I'm so thankful to God for the time spent with him. I'm
so thankful for a wonderful life. I am thankful for comfort, healing and
thankful to God for the amazing family and friends that have been there
endlessly.
