Sat @8:30AM

7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan 17

Cau Nam's breathing has noticeably slowed from the regular rythmic pace from yesterday. The inhales are quick and short; whereas the exhales are long and drawn out. The nurse had just come in to check on him and to give him some more Robinol for his congestion. Cau Nam's eyebrows are relatxed, and his left side has been propped up by a pillow so that his entire upper torso and head all lean to the right. I am guessing that the nurses have positioned him this way in order to ease his breathing on account of what little lung capacity he may have left.By now, his breaths are softer and less determined than those from yesterday. You can tell that his body is getting tired. Cau Nam's forehead still feels warm and the nurse mentioned something about giving him Tylenol and something to make him go since he hasn't had a bowel movement in days. I notice that Cau Nam's beard has grown back in, though not as long and shaggy as it had been just days before when we shaved him.

Last night a couple more of Co Bay's children Tram and Suzie had arrived. Later today, another one of their brothers is due to come in. From Corpus Chriisti, Anh Guong, a second cousin of ours from Cau Nam's side will also be visiting this morning. Anh Guong's grandfather was an older brother of our common grandfather. This was the second cousin from Cau Nam's side of the family to visit. From elsewhere in Texas, Anh Be had also visited Cau Nam in the recent days. He is also another second cousin of ours with a common great grandfather with all of us. Cau Nam had always enjoyed their visits, though until recently some of us didn't even know of them.It's 8:30 a.m. on Saturday now, 40 minutes until the time that we had tentatively planned for Cau Nam's wake to begin. A few days earlier we were told and fully expected Cau Nam to pass within hours. As we have come to learn and have appreciated over the past few days, Cau Nam alone dictates his own schedule. Perhaps he is waiting for the arrival of a particular relative or friend, or perhaps a miracle that we have not ruled out is in process. We do not know. Perhaps we will in the days to come.

Quoc