Mom - Margaret Linton - with her gandson Garrett Gastil at Garrett's graduation June 2011
Well… I hope to write more about her soon and for a while… but a brief post to put it out there into the world that mom isn’t around any more.
Her four children, now adults, and her eldest grandchildren, my sister’s sons and daughter, have been at her side for the last few days, which mom spent at bed 2 of the Cardiac Care Unit of Western Medical Center in Santa Ana. Mom fell a week ago, Thursday July 21st, sustaining massive damage to her brain. She underwent an operation on Friday July 22nd and never regained consciousness.
She always told us that she never wanted to live on life support… and even requested that if any of us ever encountered her in an open casket that we should immediately run up and kick it shut. It was very difficult for her to spend time in hospitals… so… though we still harbored some hope of some sort of miraculous recovery… this past Friday, we all talked about what to do, and came to the conclusion that, if her condition didn’t take a dramatic turn for the better (or worse) that we would withdraw life support on Sunday – today.
My brothers, Matt, Mark Fletcher, my sister Liz and her teen children Garrett, Miles, and Paige, assembled at the hospital this morning. Mom was calm, breathing, unresponsive… in about the same unconscious state that she’s been in the past week. We said tearful goodbyes. We notified the nurse of our decision. She called in the neurologist and he walked us through the steps… stating that he suggests calling it “letting nature take its course” and not “pulling the plug” as we inarticulately requested.
At a little after 11:00am, she was given pain killers, and “extubated” which is to say that the respirator, medicinal and nutrition delivery tubes were pulled from her nose and mouth. My sister and I stayed in the room… watching mom peacefully decline. She was initially breathing, but any hint of motion declined and ceased. Her monitor showed heatbeat, which was steadily dropping. Her breathing stopped completely and after two minutes, so, too did her heart. She died just before noon.
She lives on in the lives of those she touched… as a mother, grandmother, a long-time medical librarian, an insatiable theater partron, a reader, a lover of art, good food, cacti… a hard-working generous woman.
Marge Linton - an oil painting I did in the 1980s
Tags: Marge Linton, mom
THE PERIODIC FABLE 
31 July 2011 at 4:03pm |
so sorry for your loss Joe. let me know if there’s anything you need…. the universe is with you and your mom.
31 July 2011 at 4:29pm |
I’m sorry Joe. You have all been in my thoughts and prayers.
31 July 2011 at 4:32pm |
Continuing to pray for you guys, may our Lord comfort your hearts and give you His peace in this difficult time.
31 July 2011 at 4:43pm |
There is a lot to be said for being there to the very end of your mom’s life. She was such a strong woman and raised the 4 of you so well. I remember her from our high school church days at TPC. It is always hard to say good bye but she is in a better place and is now at peace. (I have to remind myself because I was with my mom to the very end as well, 10 years ago.) Prayers to all of you. Jenny (James) Bernosky
31 July 2011 at 5:00pm |
Thank you for taking the time to share this painful process which was very moving for me. Condolences to you, your brothers and sister and all the kids.
31 July 2011 at 5:16pm |
Lately, when i think about death this Sherman Alexie poem comes to mind (it’s called “Food Chain” and it was taken from the book “War Dances”). I like it’s sense of strength and defiance. Much like the strength your collective decision must have taken and the defiance in that image of you running up and kicking an open casket. I think poems are kind of weird, but they can fit in certain circumstances. Like when you don’t know what to say but want to offer a friend something you like in case he might like it too, might make him feel better for a little moment. So there:
This is my will:
Bury me
In an anthill.
After one week
Of this feast,
Set the ants on fire.
Make me a funeral pyre.
Let my smoke rise
Into the eyes
Of those crows
On the telephone wire.
Startle those birds
Into flight
With my last words:
I loved my life.
31 July 2011 at 8:03pm |
Thanks… mom and I were and are Alexie fans – turned on to his work by my brother Fletcher.
31 July 2011 at 5:45pm |
So sorry, Joe.
31 July 2011 at 8:21pm |
Joe Dear,
I treasure these lines from poet Mary Oliver….
“To live in this world, you must be able to do three things: To love what is mortal; to hold it against your bones, knowing your own life depends on it and, when time comes, let it go, let it go.”
I love you and will hold you in the light.
Rex
31 July 2011 at 9:52pm |
Thanks for the beautiful words, Rex… to love what is mortal, indeed.
1 August 2011 at 8:18am |
Thinking about you Joe. My condolences.
1 August 2011 at 8:24am |
Joe, please pass on our thoughts and prayersto the rest of the Linton Clan. We were very sorry to hear about your mom and I know she will be well remembered. I still tell stories of having dinner at your mom’s house in high school. She was always generous and gracious in hosting unexpected guests. Pass on our prayers to Matt, Mark and Liz.
1 August 2011 at 10:38am |
[…] join me in offering best wishes to Joe Linton, one of L.A.’s leading bike and eco advocates, on the loss of his mother. And L.A. endurance cyclist and vegan registered dietician Matthew Ruscigno on the death of his […]
1 August 2011 at 10:52am |
Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Aunti Margie was a wonderful lady, we will miss her! Please let us know when the funeral is and if there is anything we can do to help.
love, Don & Sandy
1 August 2011 at 1:37pm |
Thinking about you, Joe.
1 August 2011 at 3:02pm |
Joe, we are so sorry for your loss. we lost our mom this spring too, and it is such a hard thing to go through. please share with your famly all our prayers and condolences
Todd McHenry
2 August 2011 at 10:47pm |
“Some people walk into your life and quickly go, others leave footprints on your heart and you are never ever the same” – Anynomous
5 August 2011 at 12:36am |
Joe, I am so sorry to hear that. You are and definitely will be in my thoughts. My deepest condolences and regards to you and your family.
12 August 2011 at 6:35pm |
Joe, you likely will not remember me- but our family lived across from you in the cul-de-sac for several years and Liz and I were best friends during our 4th, 5th and early 6th grades. We moved to Oregon in 1977. Despite the years, I have such fond memories of your mom and the rest of your family. I also read your blogs about the house, which were terrific. I remember so well being introduced to Monty Python’s Flying Circus (“Eric the half-a-bee”) when over at your place playing with Liz. Your mom was an amazingly strong woman to do all that she did for so many years. I know her light continues to shine.
Tina Bialas