Gone, But Not Forgotten || Self-Para
He knew it was the end. While people were convinced he’d fight through this and by some miracle come out of it alive, Aiden could feel the cancer slowly eating away every last bit of fight he had in him. And while it was technically the cancer killing him, the thing that was really killing him was the people he knew would be let down. The girl he loved carrying the baby he’d never get to meet, his twin sister who’d have to live without her other half, his little brothers who’d be left without a big brother to look up to, his parents who he’d never be able to make proud. The list was longer and longer the more he let his thoughts consume him, and the pain in his heart was much more severe than the pain the cancer was causing.
Things were quickly going from bad to worse. It wasn’t until after his second chemo session that the doctors discovered his body wasn’t responding to chemo, in fact, his white blood cells were multiplying faster than before and quickly spreading to his organs. While they assured him they’d do everything they could, he knew he’d been given his death sentence. He was immediately admitted to the hospital, his world slowly caving in around him knowing that he’d probably never see the light of day again.
Even despite his lack of spirits, he tried. When his family came to sit with him, when Addie crawled into the hospital bed with him, when Alex broke down, he didn’t let them see how scared he was. He kept the smile on his face, knowing it’s how he’d want to be remembered when he was gone. He’d always been happy, fun-loving, and carefree, but he didn’t know how to accept that his life was ending before it even began. Just a few months ago he was graduating and looking forward to college and starting a life that he could be proud of, and now he was in a hospital bed withering away slowly.
Things happened faster than he expected, but with the medicines pumping into him and the cancer starting to take over his brain, things weren’t very clear to him at all anymore. Just talking and moving his arms was becoming a challenge and with his pale skin, sunken eyes, hairless scalp, and fragile body, he already felt like a corpse. Everything hurt, and the pain medication they were drowning his veins in was only making things worse.
So when he woke up on the final day, he knew it was his last and finally, he felt at peace. While he’d never been very religious before, he knew this was just God’s plan. He couldn’t change what was happening, and when he finally slipped away, he wanted to be okay with it. While the idea of hurting his family was worse to him than the idea of dying, he knew they’d be okay. They’d go on with their lives and grow up, and he’d be watching over them every step of the way.
Finally coming to terms with leaving this world, he used what was left of his strength to ask the nurses to take out the IVs that were just barely keeping him alive and have his family come sit with him until he was gone. Granting his wishes, the nurses took him off the medication and in just a matter of minutes his family was flooding into the room, their faces full of worry and anguish. Without so much as a few words, Aiden announced he was going. Immediately tears were shed around the room, and Aiden took the hands of Addie and his brother and best friend, Alex. He’d never been ones for goodbyes or words of wisdom, but with one last kiss he told Addie he loved her and to never let their baby forget how much he loved them and would always be watching over the both of them. He told Alex how proud he was of him, how much loved him, and how he was the greatest friend and brother he could have ever asked for. He told Layla how much he loved her, how beautiful, strong, and amazing she was, and how he knew she’d be okay without him despite how convinced she was that she wouldn’t be. He told Caleb how much he loved him, how smart he was, and how sure he was that he’d make something of himself. He told his parents how much he loved them, how great of parents they were, and that he never resented them for being gone so much. Even though what he had to say was hard, he felt at peace knowing he got the chance to tell everyone how important they were in his life and how much he loved them.
It was as if telling everyone these last words was all he needed for his soul to lift. Fighting it for only a few more moments, he finally let his eyes close and slowly, and just like falling asleep, he took his last breath and let himself slip away.
