Days Like This by Katy Armstrong
It was the 23 of January 2003, when I was sitting in a small room where people watch the television in Dumfries Hospital where I was visiting my papa Ian. My mum was busy talking to my papa in his room so me and my sister Lynsey were In the room next door. My papa was fighting against lung cancer at the time so we would usually go and visit him about twice a week so he would have some company. As always, mum, Lynsey and me went to the hospital to see him in his ward (my dad would usually have gone with us too but he had a disco on at his school in Annan) thinking it would be an ordinary night. We were very much wrong...
We had been talking to my papa for about half an hour when soon after I went into the social room and all of a sudden my mum burst into the room telling my sister and I that papa had taken a turn for the worst. I broke down in tears. My mum, Lynsey and me weren’t allowed to see my papa for a while as the doctor and nurse were checking up on him so we waited outside the hospital as mum was repeatedly trying to get hold of my dad on his mobile. Mum also phoned my granny, Auntie Karen and Uncle John telling them it would be best for them to come over to Dumfries so they could be with papa. Then she called her mum, my granny Norah, asking if she and my papa would come and collect me and Lynsey as she didn’t think It was best for us to stay as it was getting later on at night and she didn’t think It was good for us to see our papa very ill although I did get to say good by to him. I softly gave him a kiss on the forehead and told him I loved him. Mum finally got In touch with my dad and as soon as he heard that his dad had turned for the worst he was straight over to the hospital. Me and my sister got a lift home with my granny Norah and papa George as they came and picked us up and on the way home we stopped at my cousins’ house and got them to pack there things as they were having to stay at my house that night as their mum and dad were at the hospital. Their names are Eryn and Cameron. My granny and papa also stayed over at my house that night. My mum and dad didn’t want to leave the room from my papa so they stayed at the hospital. My papa passed away on the 25th of January 2003 in his sleep. This was one of the scariest nights of my life as I thought I was going to lose him there and then. I love my papa with all my heart and I miss him very much.
