Remembering my Father , EXEQUIEL de la CRUZ LAQUIAN , on his 3rd Death Anniversary this coming January 23, 2014 ... My Fathers Last Day by Jose Roman Reyes Laquian 6:43am. Sunday 23 January 2011 At about 12:45am. today , 23 January 2011 ( Sunday ) my wife and I were awakened by a phone call . It was from Ms. Cathy de Juan , a nurse at the Fremont Healthcare Center ( located here in Northern California , at 39022 Presidio Way , Fremont , CA 94538-1221 ) . She regretfully informed us that my father , Exequiel dela Cruz Laquian , passed away at 12:30am. ( He would have turned 88 years old this April 10, 2011 ) . When I arrived at the healthcare , I was told by both Cathy and Nayeli Guerrero , a nursing aide , that when they came to get blood sample from his finger , they immediately noticed that he was no longer breathing and the change in his appearance . It was when they checked on his pulse that they realized that he was gone . I stood beside my fathers left side as I looked at him . His appearance was calm and peaceful , as if he was just sleeping . There was no sign of suffering on his face , only peace . He left this world in quiet dignity and grace . As I stood there looking at him where he lay , I gently touched his forehead several times , quietly saying my heartfelt love , thanks and appreciation for his beautiful life , his love and affection which he so unselfishly and graciously shared with our mother as well as to all of us , his children . I gathered all of my fathers clothing and other personal belongings and put them in the trunk of my car which was parked in the healthcares rear parking lot . When I came back to the nurse station at about 2:30am. , Cathy invited me for coffee at their breakroom . She left me there and went back to the nurse station where , upon my earlier instruction , she called up ( at about 2:20am. ) the Chapel of the Chimes Funeral Home ( located at 32992 Mission Boulevard , Hayward ) to pick up my fathers remains . Michael , the man from the funeral home ( mortuary ) arrived about 40 minutes later . He gathered some information from Cathy for about 5 minutes and informed me that he will be picking my fathers remains . I paid my last respect to my father at his bedside (bed number 2 in Rm. 31) for about 10 minutes , after which Michael came in with a wheelbed , gently wrapped my fathers remains with a thin bed blanket , followed by a large transparent plastic and then transferred the same to the waiting bed . Together with Michael , I accompanied my fathers remains to the waiting station wagon parked at the healthcares rear parking lot, where it was placed ( via the open tailgate ) at the back . It was about 3:30am when the station wagon ( driven by Michael ) left the parking lot , bound for Mission Boulevard , Hayward . At 6:00am. today , I was able to speak with Carrie ( Funeral Director of the mortuary ) over the phone and set up a 1:30pm. ( today ) appointment with her , with my elder brother , Reginald and my elder sister , Evangeline , also in attendance , regarding the proper arrangement for our fathers remains . . .
Posted on: Tue, 21 Jan 2014 04:23:03 +0000
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