Veronica Molina

Storer
ENG 3H, Block 4
April 2, 2020
They All Seemed Like Normal Days
It started off as a normal day. It was a normal day. I was at school the whole day, just
going about my day in my classes. It was Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020, a 1-3 day. My friend and I
talked about at lunch how we should go to the boys’ varsity state soccer game that day at 4 p.m. I
was excited about our plans that day and could not wait to watch the soccer game. Finally, the
school day was over and I was ready to head home for about an hour, so I can quickly change
and then head back to Mater Dei for the game. However, as I was about to leave, I received a
phone call from my mother. She had asked where I was and if I were coming home. I explained
to her that I was going to watch the game after school. But I knew something was up. I can hear
the worry in her voice and I asked what was up.
“Grandpa is in the hospital,” she said, “he had to have emergency surgery.”
“Wait really, what happened?” I said, trying to hide my worry and keep calm.
“He was coughing up blood and had to be transported to the hospital by ambulance. I am
planning for us to go to the hospital once Andres (my brother) is done with volleyball practice.
We’re leaving right after he finishes.”
“Ok,” I said, “I’m heading home.”
“Ok, bye,” my mother said, “love you.”
“Love you too mom,” I said. The phone call ended.
Before I left the school parking lot, I just sat in my car in silence for 2 minutes. After, I
just felt tears rolling down my face. I kept trying to wipe my tears away and hide them because
there was still some people in the parking lot. I did not want them to see me crying in my car.
However, just the thought of losing my Grandpa kept the tears rolling down my face slowly. I
mean, I knew my Grandpa had been sick for a while, that’s why he’s been living with us. But,
just the thought of losing him so soon, hurt me.
I finally got home and was greeted by my mother. Again, she explained her plan to me
about how we were going to the hospital right when my brother finished his volleyball practice.
However, the hospital was all the way at Palomar Medical Center, which was about a 50 minute
drive from my house. My grandpa goes home sometimes for a couple of weeks and returns back
to my house, when he has appointments here. It just happened that that day, he was heading
home.
My mom said that I could still go to the game for a little, as we needed to wait for my
brother to finish up practice. She said that it works out that I can just bring my brother home
once he’s done and then she would have the car all ready to go once we get home. I quickly
changed and headed back to Mater Dei at around 3:45.
 I needed to get my mind off of all this sadness. This game would work as a distraction as
I waited for my brother to finish up practice. I did not want to constantly think about the fear of
losing my grandpa, but that’s all I could think about. Finally, my brother had finished earlier than
expected. His practice was supposed to end at 5 but ended around 4:25. I needed a few more
minutes watching the game to try and prepare myself for the fact that my grandpa was in the
hospital and that that could possibly be the last time I saw him. I watched the game for another
10 minutes, when I got a text from my mom saying, “I really need you guys to come back as
soon as andres practice is over.” I got up immediately and quickly said “I need to go” to my
friend, who was sitting right next to me. Again, the fear immediately came back to me.
Once my brother and I got home, we left immediately to the hospital within ten minutes.
The whole ride there, I was worried and kept trying to hold back my tears. Finally, we got to the
hospital. We were greeted by many of my Aunts and Uncles, and my Father, who had already
been there, in the waiting room. My Grandpa was in the ICU and we had to take turns to see him.
Finally, it was my mom, my father, and my two brothers turn to see my grandpa. As we were
walking down the hall, it all felt quiet. You could hear the hospital monitors beeping and the
footsteps of us walking down the hall. Finally, we got to my Grandpa’s room and my grandpa
greeted us with a huge smile. His smile made me smile and my siblings and I took turns hugging
him. We all said what we thought our were our final words to him and he said some things back
to us. I loved how my grandpa, even though he didn’t know how much longer he had here on
earth, smiled and kept such a positive attitude. I loved that he stayed in good spirit. That brought
me a little comfort.
------------------------------------------
About almost a month after that day, my Grandpa was still in the hospital. He was doing
fine, but he still had to have multiple surgeries and stay on medication. I just felt comfort
knowing that he was still here and was being taken care of in the hospital.
However, on March 28, 2020, a day in which I expected to be normal, I was woken up by
my mom at around 7 a.m. She told me that we all had to go down stairs in the living room, to
have a family meeting about my grandpa. Again, the same fear I felt on March 3rd, filled my
body.
I came down to the living room wrapped in my blanket, as I had just woken up. My
siblings were also wrapped in their blankets. Even though the sun was out and shinning in the
room, the vibe felt cold. We knew that some type of bad news was to come. Finally, when
everyone was in the room, my dad began to talk.
“Grandpa has decided to no longer prolong his life,” he said.
I could see him start to break down and all he asked of us was to pray for him.
Our family immediately prayed all together in the living room. You could hear and see
everyone crying.
Again, even though I knew my Grandpa was sick, I did not want to lose him so soon. I
mean, this was a life or death choice that he made. But, I realized that this was my grandpa’s life.
He had been suffering for a while now and that is no way to live. It is his choice. It is his choice
to choose to be off all his medication. It is his choice to no longer prolong his life more than he
already has. It is his choice in the end, even if that means that he will die sooner than what we all
want.
I just sat on the couch after I heard this news. I covered my face with my blanket and just
sat there. My mom gave me a big hug and said to me that we need to respect his decision.

Explanations
1. Emotional truth
a. I think that what this memory of mine shows is that one needs to face reality and
listen to the choices others make, even though it is not what one wants to hear. In the
end, it is always up to the person who is suffering to choose whether they want to
continue to live the way they are, or to end their suffering. Even though it is not an
easy choice to make, those around, need to respect their choices.
2. Story Arc
a. Exposition: Typical school day, planning to go to the boys soccer game after school.
b. Inciting Incident: I get a phone call from my mom regarding my grandpa in the
school parking lot.
c. Rising Action: Going to the hospital and seeing my grandpa.
d. Crisis/ Climax: After about almost a month of my grandpa being in the hospital, my
dad tells my family and I that my grandpa has decided to no longer prolong his life.
He will be off his medication.
e. Falling Action: We pray as a family and I try to understand this whole situation.
f. Resolution: Having to face the fact that my grandpa had been suffering and that it is
his choice in the end on what he wants to do. Also, having to respect his decision,
even though it is hard to believe.