On May 27, 2013, Skye bid goodbye. She was declared gone at 6:57 AM. She was 163 days and 2 minutes old.
A week earlier, Skye started getting feverish. She had seizure-like episodes that scared the wits out of my wife Aires. Her pediatrician saw her on May 21. She prescribed antibiotics to manage the fever. Two days later, when Skye's fever persisted, her doctor recommended hospital admission. On May 23, we learned that Skye was battling broncho-pneumonia. Pneumonia is the nemesis of Trisomy 18 babies.
During all this time, Aires took care of Skye without me by her side. I was away working in Davao Oriental. Mommy, Kuya Archie and Kuya Lon were there to help Aires. When I learned that Skye had pneumonia, all I prayed for was for her to wait for me. I came back from my trip on May 25. When I saw Skye, I cradled her in my arms and whispered to her that it was okay now to let go if she wanted to. I managed to be with Skye for two more nights.
I asked Aires to go home and rest. On my first night with Skye, I slept beside her and she had a fitful sleep. On May 26, Skye's doctors were happy to see her progress. They even told us that Skye could be discharged on May 30. Aires and I were ecstatic to hear this. We were so relieved that I even took Heaven to see the movie Epic while Skye and Aires had their bonding time that Sunday afternoon.
That night, however, Skye had fever bouts again and became fretful. From 11 pm till 4 am the next day, I could not pacify Skye. She must have gotten tired that she fell finally asleep a little after 4 am. I waited till the vitals on her pulse-oximeter machine became stable before I decided to rest too. Our next feeding time was at 6 am so I slumped on the couch beside Skye and fell asleep.
At 5 am, I checked on Skye and she was sleeping fitfully. I went back to the couch and fell asleep.
At exactly 6 am, I woke up just as the nurse came in to check on Skye. Things then all happened in a blur. The nurse freaked out and ran out of the room. I freaked out too and went to see Skye. She looked asleep but her whole body was cold. When the nurse came back, a whole team of doctors, nurses and orderlies came with an ECG machine or the machine that revives patient's heartbeats.
I stepped out of the room to call up Aires. She sounded so calm while I desperately tried to hold it up together. At around 6:15 AM, I talked to Skye's pediatrician over the phone. She gave me the news that Skye was gone and that the doctors were performing the perfunctory cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
I watched as the doctors checked for any pulse rate. There was none. They marked Skye's official time of demise at 6:57 AM.
Several nurses at the NICU where Skye stayed for two months came to say their goodbyes. When they left, it was just Skye and me in the room as I waited for Aires.
When Aires came, she kissed Skye. Aires was a portrait of strength as she listened to what happened that morning.
Papa came too to comfort us. While we arranged for the funeral service, Papa and I escorted Skye to the morgue, as Aires settled the hospital bill.
The service came just before 12 noon. Aires rode with Skye at the service's van and went on their way to the memorial chapel. I was supposed to drive Papa home when Aires called me up to inform me that the van overheated.I did not get to take Papa home and went to fetch Aires and Skye. Aires and I managed to laugh, saying that Skye still found a way for us to spend a few more hours together as we braved the traffic going to the memorial chapel. We knew that moment that Skye's life must be celebrated and that's exactly what we wrote in our invitation to loved-ones and friends --- a celebration of 163 days of a short but inspiring story of a child who defied the odds.
It has been only three weeks since we laid Skye to rest. Writing about Skye's final goodbye is part of our family's journey to healing. Skye lived for 163 days but we will keep her memory alive for the rest of our own days.
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