Anita Silva's Last Days

Anita Silver's Log as to her last days on earth and of those who were there to help her in her last moments and who were not. Her last wish was to die at home. And home was 631 G Street/P.O. Box 986 Tulelake, California, 96134-0986. Phone number Anita Silva 530-667-2150 in Tulelake, California.

With her two dogs Peanuts and Max. And I was there to help her do it as the only friend that was willing to. I did it out the love I had for Anita Silva as my friend and love she had for me as her friend. I will always love her until the day I die.

Date Name ORG/Tiltle Time In/Time Out

3/20 Ted KHI/SC 10:30 AM-

Debra IHSS/Home Health aid 10:30 AM-2:30 PM

Judy Klamath Hospice Vol. 1:15 PM-

3/21 Carol (CNA) Klamath Hospice 9:30 AM

Debra IHSS/Home Health aid 10:30 AM-2:30 PM 1:00 PM-4:00 PM

3/22 Debra IHSS/Home Health 10:30 AM-2:30 PM 10:00 AM-1:00 PM

Becky KHI 12:00 PM- 12:45 PM

Judy Hospice Vol 12:45 PM- 2:20 PM

Becky KHI 6:00 PM-6:05 PM

3/23 Debra IHSS/Home Health aid 1:30 PM- 4:00 PM

Judy Klamath Hospice Vol. 2:00 PM- 3:15 PM

3/24 Debra IHSS/Home Health aid 2:00 PM- 5:00 PM

3/25 Carol (CNA)- KHI Anita appears very delusional & anti-social towards everyone. I got her back washed before she started screaming at me. Attempted SBA When ambulating to the bathroom & she swatted at my hands. Centennial Moaning & complaining about being sick to the stomach, refused an offer of pain meds. Refused all personal care. Very Weepy.

Vicky Klamath Hospice delusional, belligerent, verbally frustrated, repeats Self. VSS

Debra IHSS/Home Health aid 4-6 PM

Jim: Due to the situation with Carol. I decided to no longer allow anyone in Anita’s house alone anymore without me being with them. And at the present time, they were there to do their jobs of caregiving for Anita Silva.

Anita called me on the phone and was highly upset with Carol. I got there as fast as could walk from my house to Anita's. After the situation between Anita and Carol.

I made sure I was there at all times when the caregivers were present. I was just there as Anita’s friend, as I was not being paid to do it. I did it as a friend for a friend, hopefully, someone will do the same for me, when my time comes.

3/27 Debra IHSS/Home Health aid 1:00- 3:30

Judy Klamath Hospice Vol 1:00-3:00

Jim 5:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 1:00 PM, 5:30 PM, 9:30 PM left at 11:00 PM

3/28 Jim 9:30 AM, 12 PM, 1:45 PM, 5:10 PM,

Becky Klamath Hospice 1:45 PM- 2:30 PM

Ted Klamath Hospice 1:45 PM- 2:30 PM

5:20 PM Pastor Claude and his wife Marilyn from the Baptist Church in Malin. Brought Ice.

5:45 PM Claude left.

Marilyn was willing to stay and said she would call me when she went home. She wanted to give me a break so I could get some rest.

Marilyn called me later at home and let me know that she decided she would stay the night with Anita. That way I would not worry about Anita and for me to get some rest, and that she would stay until in the early morning.

5/29 1:40 AM Marylin

I gave her a Syringe of the medicine from the counter in the bathroom. She is unable to take a drink to swallow a pill. She told me no more ice. I don’t believe she can get up to pee anymore. She tried to stand, but turning around to sit on the porta-potty seemed impossible. Could she have a catheter, please?

She did call me by my name Marylin and asked for help, but she was unable to get turned to relieve herself.

2:00 AM And she is lying down again and more peaceful.

2:10 AM Sitting at side of bed again, groaning but will not take ice. She saw me in the hallway and called out me by name.

2:25 AM Got onto Potty with help- VOIDED

2:35 AM Back in Bed.

2:45 AM Sitting on side of bed, groaning. Wants to remove oxygen tubes-

2:49 AM Lying down again. Does not want covers.

4:15 AM Another siege of sitting @ side of bed, moaning, talking to self.

4:55 AM She can roll over on left side and reach for ice. She can put it in her own mouth. Wanted covers this time.

6:45 AM I let the dogs out again.

Marylin left shortly there after.

Jim: 9:00 AM Anita not very responsive.

Debbie IHSS 11:30-3:30 PM

C Perry/Klamath Hospice- Asked Anita if she wanted or would agree to a catheter & she said no. I instructed Jim on how to put tape brig on her when she’s in bed if she becomes incontinent. Pain meds delivered.

Jim 4:00 PM leaves

Jim: 6:30 PM arrives. Checks Anita’s ice, water and whatever else she needs. Let’s the dogs outside and sits for a little bit. Leaves to go home to rest.

Jim: 9:30 PM – 10:35 PM leaves and mentions how much he loves her and that I will see her in the morning. Anita then says don’t worry I will be OK and the first time I turned out the kitchen light and just left the night light on. All the others times I left them on so she could see, just in case during the night she tried to get up. I felt she would be able to see.

I kissed Anita on her forehead as I did every time I left not knowing if each and every time I left if this was the last time I would see her alive and I feared each time I came back she would be gone, forever and have died when no one was there by her side.

I told her I loved her and she said she loved me too. I then left for home to go home and rest so I could be back to check on her around 9:30 or 10:00 AM as there was no one scheduled to come on the 30th.

Jim: I left at 10:35 PM.

I had a hard time sleeping but I finally did fall asleep. But I woke up early. Instead of going and checking on Anita at 9:30 or 10:00 AM. I had this strange feeling that I needed to check on her earlier than I normally did. If you want to call it normal to watch someone pass away. And there is nothing you can do about it but watch them die.

The day before on Friday I made a phone call to Ray and left a message, "I didn’t know how much more I could take dealing with this situation and that I needed him to help me". I never heard back from Ray that Friday night March 29, 2013.

And another thing that was getting to me was watching Peanuts climb next to Anita and trying to get her attention. But Anita had no more strength left. Especially instead of saying Peanuts get down or go away. She said, "dog go away". And to me, it was a sign she was giving up and wanting to let go and meet up with Shannon, her daughter who was married to Ray and where she died in Portland after they flew Shannon up there. Three and half months before Anita.

I called Ted at Klamath Hospice and let him know I did not know how much more I could take, and I mentioned to Ted. Something needs to be done with these dogs now. And he said we can’t do anything with them and you know why James. Anita's last wishes were to have her dogs with her until her last breath.

Ted said, take a walk, go get some fresh air and come back when you are ready. When I was talking to Ted I believed I had already gone home. If I remember correctly, I had opened the dining room windows to get some fresh air in the house. It had been a warmer, than normal day for March. Like I mentioned to Ted I had to go back soon to close the windows before it starts to get cold in there again. And I did not want Anita getting cold now.

Ted, then said, “Go when you are ready to go back”.

Even Judy had never been involved in such a situation where there was no family member to be the one taking care of their loved one, in their final moments dying at home. It was even beginning to get to Judy.

Judy observed how emotional upset I was getting. Knowing as well as I did, the time was getting closer. Even Debra was seeing what I was going through with my emotions. I don’t know what I would have done without Klamath Hospice. They were my moral support. For them, I was their eyes and ears as to Anita’s daily or hourly condition and prognosis.

All the staff at Klamath Hospice were used to seeing people die, as that is their chosen profession. I did not choose to be in this position, Anita choose it for me. And as a loving friend, I could not walk away, that would not be like me or the kind of friends Anita and me had become.

In fact, before I took on what I did. Iva Rogers and I discussed who would help to take care of Anita when she was released from the hospital the second week in January 2013. Where she and I went to the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center to have them admit Anita because she was running a high fever, and so she did have to go to the regular ER at Sky Lakes and sit there and wait for them to admit her to the hospital.

I was the one that drove her that day Saturday, January 5, 2013. Anita did not trust anyone to drive her anywhere as she always liked to be the one behind the wheel and in control and in charge of her car. But she knew she was not well enough to handle driving herself to Klamath Falls, that's why she asked me to do it for her.

I had mentioned to Iva I did not know how much I would be able to handle. After all I took care of my mom. But this was different in the regard Anita was not my mother, she was a friend.

We arrived at the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center and Anita explained to them what her plan was. Even Iva I believe had suggested the same thing to go through the Cancer Center to be admitted. That going through the Cancer Center was less degrading, as it would be in the ER waiting around there to be admitted to the hospital was so impersonal. Waiting with a room full of strangers, where at the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center Anita would be among health professionals she had known since she was first diagnosed with Acute Leukemia and where she had to do the chemo treatments with her blood. Where she would go for four days getting treatment, one week out of the month and then have her blood tested every Monday until the next month, to do it all over again.

Anita was the caregiver of her husband in Alturas and he passed away just a month after my Mom did in Alturas as my Mom and I lived there at the same time Anita did in Alturas. We just had not crossed paths yet...

Edith K. Garland

Edith Kathryn Garland passed away February 22, 2007, at age 82 at Mercy Hospital, Redding, CA. Born Edith Donaldson in St Paul, MN on February 27, 1924, she would have celebrated her 83rd Birthday on February 27, 2007. Pastor Mikie Henderson will officiate the Memorial Services at the Assembly of God Church on March 9 in Malin, OR. Following the Memorial Services will be a graveside service at Eternal Hills - Memorial Gardens, Klamath Falls, OR.

And then one month later almost to the day, Henry Donald Silva passed away.

Henry Donald Silva

Alturas resident Henry Donald Silva passed away March 24, 2007, at the age of 68, at Surprise Valley Hospital in Cedarville, CA. Mr. Silva was diagnosed with lung cancer.

He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 25, 1939. Mr. Silva had retired from work as a long haul truck driver and in construction as a sandblaster. He loved to build things and he loved working on cars, until he was unable to, due to his declining health. He enjoyed videotaping and had created a collection of over 1,000 videos, mostly movies from which he removed the commercial breaks. He and wife Anita were married in old Mexico on October 31, 1972 and have shared 35 years together on their coming anniversary.

He is survived by his wife Anita Silva of Alturas; daughter Shannon and her husband Raymundo Coronado of Newell, CA. Among his many dear and close friends are Greg Jones, Greg and Nancy Atkins and Doris and John Chinn of Alturas and Edith Christen of Winneconne, WI. His parents and other family members predeceased him. Services were private and under the direction of Kerr Mortuary. Memorial donations may be directed to the American Cancer Society. "Death leaves a heartache that no one can heal; Love leaves a memory no one can steal. We love and miss you."

Then three and half months was Shannon Coronado before Anita Silva passed away. Anita had hoped she would have gone first before Shannon. No one wants to lose their child as a parent, it is just not natural or for it to happen that way. There is no name for a parent who loses a child.

Shannon Coronado

Shannon Coronado, born July 30, 1973, in Sherman, Texas, died December 13, 2012, in Portland, OR. She is survived by her mother Anita Silva, a former Alturas resident now residing in Tulelake; husband Ray Coronado, many relatives on her husband's side. She loved life very much and had many friends. Services will be private.

And then Anita on March 30, 2013.

Anita Silva Former Alturas resident Anita Silva passed away March 30, 2013, at her home in Tulelake, CA. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 14, 1941, Anita grew up there and graduated from St. Mary’s Academy.

I had this feeling something was not right. So, I headed to Anita’s to check on her and do my usual ritual of letting the dogs out.

I rushed over to her house as fast as I could walk to get there. I went through the gate and climbed the steps to the front door. I unlocked the door and the first thing I did was head to her room to see how she was doing and gather the dogs to lead them outside to do their business.

When I entered her bedroom, Anita’s legs were hanging over the bed and her mouth was wide open. And her eyes were off in a daze. I called out her name, but she was unresponsive. Calmly, and not in a panic. I left her bedroom to let the dogs out so I could get them out of my way so I could do a further investigation of Anita's present condition. And decide the proper steps necessary, to get help from Hospice, as the first priority of who to call next after that and in what order, would be decided after calling Klamath Hospice for further advice as what to do next in the right order.

Anita Silva

Former Alturas resident Anita Silva passed away March 30, 2013, at her home in Tulelake, CA. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 14, 1941, Anita grew up there and graduated from St. Mary’s Academy. She met her husband Henry and they embarked on an interesting life journey. This included many years working in a traveling carnival. They finally ended up in Alturas to retire and enjoy life. Anita made many close friends and always considered Alturas “home”. Anita was full of spunk; she moved about at a face pace, always on a mission or in a hurry. She had a big heart, appreciated her friends and good neighbors and demonstrated many acts of kindness. She loved special holidays like Easter and Christmas. “She was a little firecracker”, described by one friend. “She was always figuring out how to help others,” although she struggled with her own situations in life. She often called those she knew “kid,” endearingly. She maintained an interest in politics and shared her thoughts through several “Letters to the Editor” over the years. For several years, Anita worked as an IHSS caregiver in Modoc. She cared about her clients. She also took care of her ailing husband until his passing in 2007, when she relocated to Tulelake near her daughter and son-in-law. Those close to her say acute leukemia was the cause of her demise.

Anita was preceded in death by her husband Henry in 2007 and her loving daughter Shannon in 2012. Anita was a wonderful friend, so giving and always caring about others and she loved to spend time playing at the Desert Rose Casino. She is already missed dearly. She is survived only by her son-in-law Ray Coronado of Tulelake and those of us who hold memories of her close in our hearts."

Now that Shannon had passed away on December 13, 2012, from an infection to the brain. Shannon had gotten an infection in her toe and from what they could tell it was going away. But instead of going away it had moved its way to her brain. There was nothing they could do at Sky Lakes in Klamath Falls, OR. The only chance Shannon had for survival was to be flown to Portland, OR as they had better surgeons up there than in Klamath Falls, OR.

That was a similar situation I was up against in 2004 when my Mom ended up with an aneurysm. The difference is they did not fly my mom, they ambulances her to Bend, OR for the neo-surgeon on staff at the St. Charles Hospital, in Bend, OR. For me, I had to go back south to Tulelake and pick up the things I needed for the trip to Bend, OR and pick up Feisty, our dog. At the time I was given two choices of hospitals to go to in Oregon. It was either Bend or Medford, OR. I choose Bend, OR because I had a cousin I could stay with if I needed to that was in Madres, OR about 50 miles north of Bend, OR. And there was always Redding, CA as a third option where the rest of my older brothers and sister live. That idea was out because I did not get along with any of them.

Here I was the baby and I was the one taking care of my mom 24/7 without any one of them lifting a finger to help me. We were living in Tulelake because Mom with her dementia for some reason could recognize Tulelake, Malin, Merrill and Klamath Falls, OR because my Mom and her brother, my uncle went to Lost River High School in Malin, OR. It was just easier to live somewhere she was able to recognize things, then like Redding, CA where she could get lost driving to a doctor’s appointment.

At least I would be welcome to stay at my cousin Cathy’s house with her son Colton, my second cousin. Who was about 11 years old at the time, and three of us would have fun playing monopoly to all hours of the night. Which was his favorite game to play at the time?

After I went back to Tulelake to pack and pick up Feisty. I was only an hour and a half behind my Mom getting to St. Charles Hospital, in Bend, OR.

On December 10th, 2012, a Monday Anita was trying to figure out a way to fly to Portland OR to be by Shannon’s side before Shannon passed away. As the doctors came to the same conclusion, as they did in Klamath Falls, OR and that was if they operated the infection could spend throughout Shannon’s entire brain and she would die anyway.

Anita was trying to figure out whom to borrow the money from to make that trip. Driving her car was out of the question, as we didn’t think her car would make another major trip to Portland, like the one the that Shannon and Anita had made in July or August of 2012. But, that time it was for Anita, as they thought, they may have found a treatment up there, that might help prolong Anita’s life. A different form of treatment than Anita was already going through at the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center in Klamath Falls, OR.

Ray was already packed and heading on his way to Portland as fast as he could get there. Ray mentioned to Anita that in his opinion money was no option that he would find a way to get there. And Anita was not ready to leave at the same time as Ray did. Anita felt she had to find another way. Plus this was the week where she was on the chemo treatments and had just started them on Monday.

The only way to get there was to fly to Portland, but where would the money come from to do that, she had no idea. Anita called the pastor Claude and his wife Marylyn at the Baptist Church in Malin on Rush Ave. Marylyn and the pastor were willing to pay for Anita flight to get to Portland all that needed to be done was to make a reservation and fly there.

So Anita got on the phone checking flight times and schedules. In the meantime, the other thing on Anita’s mind was she had no money to go either. Here the Marylyn and the pastor were willing to pay for the fight she felt she could not ask them for money too. This is the church where both Anita would attend for Sunday Services, but Shannon went more often than Anita did. It was still early in the afternoon so Anita called her friend Ruby in Alturas and asked if she could borrow about two hundred dollars for the trip. And Ruby agreed. Anita asked me if I want to go with her the next day with her to go get the money, as it would be faster than try to mail it.

Then the phone rang and it was Ruby she said she had heard on the weather report they were expecting snow tomorrow in the area and that it might be better if we came down there this afternoon to pick it up. So Anita looked at me after she got off the phone with Ruby. "You want to go on a road trip with me to Alturas now?" I said, “why not, let’s go”. And off we went to Alturas, CA as fast as we could get into the car and make sure the dogs had plenty of water and were let out at least once to do their business.

It was still light out for a while as we headed to Alturas to pick up some money from Ruby that Anita needed to borrow in order to have some money with her in case she needed it for the flight to Portland, OR. When we get back we will have to start checking into flight schedules for Portland, OR.

By the time we arrived in Alturas it was almost dusk, as we pulled into Ruby’s house driveway. I was hoping this wasn’t going to take too long, as I needed to go the bathroom, even though I went before we left the coffee and soda we had been drinking on the way caught up with my bladder.

Anita over the years would make long trips to Alturas to pick up Ruby and take her to Klamath Falls, OR and then back to Alturas all in one day. But Anita would go down the day before and spend the night at another friends house. Which at the moment their names escape me. Anita would stay at Ruby’s but from what Anita explained to me Ruby had some delicate cats that Ruby said would get upset if a stranger were to stay the night there. Got me, but that is what Anita explained to me Ruby would say as to her reason why she did not want Anita to stay at Ruby’s house when they would make this trip together. Ruby worked at the Four Corners Market as a cashier, but it was cheaper, like the for the rest of us to shop in Klamath Falls, OR. I used to do the same thing when Mom and I lived in Alturas. Everybody does it, to save money.

Anita would stop by her house on the way up to Klamath Falls, OR to let the dogs out and then when Ruby and Anita would finish their shopping and on the way back to Alturas, CA Anita would stop again to let the dogs out before taking Ruby back home to Alturas, CA before Anita would get back home to Tulelake, CA on her return trip home.

Anita came out finally and jumped into the car and started it up and we were on our way back home as soon as we could because that storm Ruby talked about was heading our way. As we got further down the road instead of heading left out back towards the four-way stop sign and our way home. Anita turned right as she said that Ruby gave her a check but also gave her twenty dollars cash. So Anita wanted to try her luck at Desert Rose Casino. So we turned right and headed to the Desert Rose Casino. So Anita wanted to see if maybe she could win the slots.

I discovered soon, as this was the first time I had been with Anita, to not only the Desert Rose Casino. but any Casino. As Anita loved the slots. And she kept saying for the longest time that she wanted to go Kla-Mo-Ya Casino She would always say, "I want to go to KlaMoYa, let's go, let's go." (We never did)

Anita wanted to give me half of the twenty to try my luck, but I told her, “no thanks” that I would just watch her. We had been there for a couple hours now and Anita had moved from slot machine to slot machine to try her luck on other machines. She would cash out on one and move to the next.

Anita had been winning and she had not lost yet as she was on a roll and determined to win. There had been a few people that she ran across that she knew from when she used to live in Alturas, CA. I kept mentioning to Anita, "we need to go, the weather is coming in and there may be a snowstorm before we get back home, Anita."

“In a few minutes we will go, just one more machine.” “OK, you are the one driving and remember how you are always complaining about your head lights at night being dim, and that you have to use your brights, instead.

She hit $30.00 and was ahead by $10.00. I said Anita “let's go, cash out”. “Not yet,” she said. “Just a couple more tries”. “Whatever”, I said. Then, she went to another machine and instead of losing the money she was gaining even more, as now it was up to about $60.00. “I said, “Anita, let’s go. Cash out”. “Just one more, she said” Now she had a little over $100.00. I said, “Let’s go, cash out Anita." "OK”, she said.

Anita cashed out. I said to her, while we are here, and you have the extra money, you might want to go ahead and pick up a carton of cigarettes. “No.,” she said. “It’s cheaper, than buying it by the pack from Ross’s or Jocks, when we get back home. “OK”, she said. "That's what I did too. I bought me a carton while we were down here", I said. "I don't see why not."

So Anita bought a carton cigarettes and $70.00 to go home with. I said I have your winnings now and I will keep them, so you don’t go back and try to lose it. I said, "it is better that you can walk out a winner, instead of a loser." And she agreed, but then she said, “Let me have the ten." I said, “No, OK, it’s your money." But I am keeping the $60.00 until we get back home, that way you will go home with a carton of cigarettes and sixty bucks in your pocket towards your trip to Portland, OR.

Well, she lost the ten dollars fast and was I ever glad, because I kept telling her about the weather. We get outside and sure enough, it is starting to snow. “I told you”, I said. “I know,” she said. (We both laugh)

We got on the road and just before we made the climb out of Canby, CA and turning right to head home to Tulelake, CA. The snow was really coming down now and visibility was bad. To the point, I had to keep Anita in the middle of the road, as she would drift too far right, and then too far left. That’s how bad it was. Well, it slowed down our progress, that’s for sure of reserving a flight ASAP to Portland, OR so she could go be with Shannon.

It was going to take us hours to get home now at 25 or 30 miles per hour. She then says, “I should have listened to you." I said, “that’s alright, we only live once.” I hope Shannon never finds out I was in the casino gambling while she is waiting for me to get up there to Portland. “From what Ray tells me is they may be able to operate and if she gets through the operation, she might pull through this yet. It is just not right that my daughter should go before I do. It isn’t fair, Jim," she said. (She started to cry, while still kept her eyes on the road ahead of us)

Well, after all of the scary driving in a snow storm, that I will never forget, we finally make it back home, safe and sound?

On Sunday, December 30, 2012, Ray came over and picked up his mail that Anita Silva had for him after his trip to Sacramento to see his other children during Christmas 2012, after Shannon’s passing on December 13, 2012, in Portland, OR. When both Ray and JoJo were there when she passed away. JoJo flew up to Portland to be with her dad because she felt he could use her help with some of the paperwork that Ray did not understand. In fact, on his way to Portland Ray got lost due to the bad storm that happened at the time. Where before he could reach Shannon, Ray had to stay overnight in a small town due to all the road closures keeping Ray from getting to Portland, OR until the following day on December 11, 2012, after she was flown to Portland from Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls, OR on the 10th of December 2012.

I don’t recall if his daughter JoJo was with him or not when he made the trip to Sacramento for Christmas. Where Anita would drive out to Newell to feed the cats and outside dogs. Anita would care for Chico and Princess at her house with her dogs Peanuts, Max, and Angel. Angel passed away shortly after Shannon did as far as I can recall.

JoJo who is now living in Anita’s house with her boyfriend and JoJo children and their dog, located at 631 G Street, Tulelake, CA.

Then on Monday, December 31st Anita picked up Alice from the senior lunch program at 9:45 AM. Then Anita sent Wendy Dyer updated information for the new will the attorney in Alturas that was helping Anita with her last will and testament. The same will that I witnessed and signed as a witness to Anita's new wishes now that Shannon was not among the living anymore. Anita had to change it due to the fact that Shannon had passed away and now she wanted to leave Ray the things that Shannon would have had if Shannon had not gone first before Anita.

On Tuesday, January 1st, 2013, the first day of the brand new year 2013, Anita stayed home from the senior lunch program mainly because it was New Years Day, 2013. Ray called Anita on the 1st of January about Shannon’s obituary in the Herald and News about her death.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013, the senior center called on the phone but the phones that Shannon had got Anita for Christmas were not working very well. Anita had called Cal-Org and asked if the technician could come by and check her phones out. Anita was not able to hear people when they were on the phone, as if the phone's speakers were flawed and the whole phone system needed to be returned and exchanged for a new phone system at either K-mart or Wal-Mart where Shannon bought them for her mother as a Christmas present, before Shannon passed away in Portland, OR on December 13, 2012.

Every month Anita and I would go to Klamath Falls to go shopping on the 3rd of each month depending on how the third would fall in any given month. In January 2013 the 3rd fell on a Thursday. Anita would go by her bank in Tulelake, Pacific Crest Federal Credit Union locate at 398 Main Street. Then she would go by and pay the water and garbage bill and sometimes go to the senior center for lunch and then come by and pick me up so we could both go to Klamath Falls to do our shopping and the Dollar Store, Thunderbird and then last to Wal-Mart on our way back home. And sometimes we would stop at Staples if there might be something I needed to pick up from there. And Anita loved checking out their discount sales items, they usually had to offer at the front of the store.

I would go with Anita so we both could do our shopping together and when we got back home. Anita would take me to my apartment so I could unload my groceries and whatever else I bought while in Klamath Falls, OR. Then after I unloaded my groceries and put away all the perishable items from the trunk where I would put my groceries. Anita would put hers in the back seat that way we did not get them mixed up. And while we were at Wal-Mart I would buy a roasted chicken and some potato salad or macaroni and she would buy some Jell-O fruit salad as another entree after we both had our groceries and would feast and break bread together and Peanuts loved this part the most as he would be whining for her to feed him pieces of chicken, she had cut up on her plate for all the dogs. It was our regular ritual after I helped to unload Anita’s groceries and bring them into the house so she could put them away. And at the same time give all three dogs their doggy treats for being good while we were away in Klamath Falls, OR shopping.

Anita had an appointment with the blood lab on Friday, January 4, 2013, at 4:00 PM. So Anita would make the trip a little while after she went to the senior lunch program at the Family Resource Center at the Honker. Anita also wrote a note to herself to remind her to pick up stamps at the Post Office before she headed to Klamath Falls, OR for the blood lab at the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center.

Anita called me on the phone and asked if I could do a favor for her? And I said, “Sure, what is it?” Anita asked, “Can you drive me to the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center as I am running a very high fever, it’s 104 this morning. I have been checking it all night and it does not seem to want to go down. So, I need to go to the Cancer Treatment Center to see if they can admit me to the ER at Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center."

Anita said, “I called Alice earlier about having you drive me. But I told Alice I didn’t know if I should ask you, but Jim I don’t think I can drive myself. And you know me I do not trust anyone driving me anywhere. You know how I feel about that, that I want to be the one in control. But Jim I don’t think I can drive myself this morning. Would you do it for me and drive me there?”

“Well, you know Anita that’s not a problem. I will walk right over as fast as I can to get there. See you in a few minutes.” I then got myself together as fast as I could and headed to Anita’s house. Which is up Fourth Street for one block, and then turn left for one block on G Street. Anita’s house is located on the corner of Fifth Street and G Street in Tulelake, CA.

Today was Friday, January 4th, 2013. This was the fourth day of January in the New Year, 2013. Yesterday, the 3rd of January 2013 and Anita and I did our regular shopping in Klamath Falls, OR. Except this shopping trip was not like the others we had done before. We stopped to get gas at the first gas station on the right as you head down, S 6th Street towards US Bank. The first stop after getting $20.00 in gas was my bank so I could withdraw cash for my rent for a money order. Then the next stop after the bank was the Dollar Store, then the Thunder Bird Grocery Store.

Thunder Bird is where Anita would get all her money orders for all her bills. While she was doing that after I got my cartons of cigarettes and my one money order I would start my shopping. And whoever was finished first would wait for the other person in the chairs by the exit door of the Thunder Bird. We both finished shopping and headed for Anita's car to unload our groceries.

After putting my groceries in the trunk of Anita’s car and Anita putting her’s on the back seat we headed to Arby’s to get something to eat, as by this time Anita was usually pretty hungry and in need of nourishment. We had just started taking time to eat the last few months when we went shopping. As these shopping trips were taking more and more of Anita’s energy, compared to how she had been a year or so earlier.

During lunch Anita asked me if I needed anything from Wal-mart. And I said, “No, not me.” Wal-mart was where Anita usually picked up her prescriptions; her doggie treats for her dogs and her phone card. The only thing I needed to do was pick up AA batteries in the economic pack at Staples. But I thought to myself I could always just buy a pack of four somewhere else later if need be.

We skipped heading to Wal-mart as our last stop heading back to Tulelake like we normally had done. Anita mentioned she was not feeling too well today. And she asked if it was OK with me if we just stopped at Grocery Outlet instead on our way back home to Tulelake as our last stop, instead of Wal-mark like we usually had done.

We finished eating our lunch and then headed to the Grocery Outlet. Anita mentioned she did not think she could find her dog’s good dog treats at Grocery Outlet like she did from Wal-mart.

We got to Grocery Outlet and had just parked when Anita said she had felt she had a bad case of indigestion and needed to get some Pepto Bismo. In fact, Anita was having a hard time breathing too. We had to stop outside the Grocery Outlet for a moment to give Anita a chance to catch her breath. When she did, we headed to find the Pepto Bismo. We located it in the first aisle of the store, right after we entered Grocery Outlet.

Anita grabbed two large bottles and asked me to open it for her and after I got one of them opened and gave it to her. She took a large gulp, as fast as she could to try and help her with the pains she was having now. This was not normal for Anita. We then headed to the dog treats and she could not find the kind of treats for her dogs that she was used to getting. But she had no choice but to get whatever they had, even though she did not like her choices. But what choice did she have, other than going back to Wal-mart and we were now heading out towards home, the same direction we usually arrive going to Klamath Falls down S 6th Street.

While we were there at the Grocery Outlet I went ahead and bought a pack of 4 AA batteries because I figured we would be coming back to Klamath Falls in a few days for one of Anita’s appointments at the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center since that was what Shannon did with her Mom. But with Shannon no longer here, I would go with Anita instead, so she did not have to go alone.

We finished shopping at the Grocery Outlet and were now heading home. When just before the turn off that cuts over to Midland and the road where on the corner is the Mt Laki Church and if you go down that road about a half a mile or so is the Mt Laki Cemetery where my Grandmother is buried.

Anita was having cramps in her hands and legs and she felt she could no longer drive. And she asked if I would drive us the rest of the way home, as she did not think she could make it with the cramps now. Once again this was not Anita, as she did not trust anyone to drive her anywhere, she always wanted to be in control. But she knew she had no other choice, but to have me drive us home now instead.

I drove us home and went by the PO Office first, so both Anita and I could check our mail. I went inside and got both of our mail out of our PO boxes, as Anita sat in the car. But I always got out and checked her mail and my mail when coming back from Klamath Falls, OR. So this was not anything usual to get her mail at the same time as mine. Which, was a normal thing each and every time we came back from shopping in Klamath Falls, OR. The only difference this time was this was the first time I was driving us back home. After the Post Office, I drove to the parking lot off the alley of my apartments, so I could first unload my groceries. Then head to Anita’s to unload hers at her house.

I arrived that Saturday, January 5th, 2013 at Anita’s house located at 631 G Street on the corner of G Street and Fifth Street in Tulelake, CA. My apartment was only a few minutes away by walking distance. Anita had called Alice first and asked Alice if she thought I would mind driving her to the ER. And Alice from what I recall being told mentioned to Anita that she did not think I would mind driving her there in her car. As there was no way I could drive her in my van because it was sitting in the parking lot of the apartments where I live with a blown engine and in need of a rebuilt engine or rebuild the one that is in the van. So the only way I could get Anita to the ER at Sky Lakes would be to drive Anita there in her own car.

I went inside and got the car keys from Anita to start the car, as Anita always liked to warm up her car before driving anywhere. I went outside and headed to the carport where Anita parked her car. I unlocked the driver’s side door, got in and adjusted the car seat, as I am a little taller than Anita. So I had to scoot the seat back from the forward position it was in for Anita.

Anita made sure the dogs were taken care of before we left. Then we both got in the car and headed to the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center to go the ER at Sky Lakes by way of the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center. Anita was running a very high temperature that day and she was very weak.

Anita had her regular way of traveling to Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center in Klamath Falls, OR. Instead of taking the cut off that goes towards the Airport and Wal-Mart and going up Washburn Way to highway 39 and then making a right and going to Campus Drive where the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center is located, so is Sky Lakes Medical Center. Anita loved driving the scenic route but it was the long way, not the short way as Anita like going that way. I chose the other route on Washburn because, in my opinion, it is shorter and faster. The idea was to get there as fast as we could and I chose to drive in that direction where Anita would have gone through the town where there are more traffic lights on S 6th.

We arrived at the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center and Anita explained what her plan was, and that was for Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center to admit her to the ER at Sky Lakes from the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center instead of going directly to the ER at Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center and having to sit and wait with a bunch of strangers to be admitted into the Hospital. As that is the direction Anita was headed in due to her high temperature and her white blood cell count being so low, from what I remember about her blood counts at the time. In fact, I believe it was Iva Rogers of the Senior Center that had suggested for Anita to be admitted that way. It was more humane that way and not so humiliating, especially when you are so deadly sick. Who wants to be around other people you do not know? You want to be around people you know and they know you and have since Anita was first given the diagnosis of having Acute Leukemia. In fact, they were getting to know who I was too. They knew Shannon had passed away on December 13, 2012, and knew it had taken its toll on Anita too. After all who wants to lose a child first, as a parent. They knew I was Anita’s best friend and I was there to support Anita every step of the way through this deadly disease of cancer Anita was going through in Anita Silva's last days on earth.

Before Shannon passed away it was Shannon who would hold her mother’s hand and go with Anita on most of her appointments at the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center. There was one time they both went to Portland, OR at the hospital up there because Anita was told that Portland may have a new treatment program that might help Anita with her present situation. They both made the trip together in July of 2012 where the hospital up there under hospice would cover a few days in a local motel while she was there taking even more tests. It was the last trip that both Mother and Daughter took a trip together. It was for them like a mini vacation they had never had before. They had memories of spending time together they would never have again or the opportunity to have again.

Anita asked if I would let her dogs out three times a day during this time because Ray would not be able to do it because of Ray working in the potato shed. So I would go over three times a day to do it because I had a key Anita had given to me. The same key that the moment Anita had passed away Ray wanted. Ray said to me moments after Anita passed away. “I know this may sound cold, but could I have Anita’s key to the house?” And I said, “Sure, no problem, I had planned on giving it to you anyway.” Ray was in a hurry to get in control from the passing of Anita moments after her passing at 11:18 AM on March 30, 2013.

Ray was about Ray and no one else, but Ray. To the point when I mentioned to Ray that the trunk in one of Anita’s spare rooms was promised to the Pastor and his wife from the Baptist Church in Malin as Anita’s wish for them to have it. Mainly, because when Shannon was in Portland dying, the pastor Claude and his wife Maryellen arranged and bought round-trip airfare for Anita and soon as she was able to go. As Anita was in the middle of her chemo treatments when Shannon became ill and was first at Sky Lakes, then flown to Portland where they had hoped they could operate up there, but it was too late as the poison had spread through-out Shannon’s brain. The only thing left at the time for Shannon was for them to make her as comfortable as they could in a hospice setting in Portland and Anita wanted to be with Shannon. The pastor and his wife were trying to make that possible by paying for the airfare to help Anita knowing there was no way Anita had the money to do it. In fact, the pastor and his wife made it possible for Anita's friend Nancy to rent a car and visit with Anita in February 2013. Nancy knew Anita when they both lived in Alturas before Anita's husband Henry Passed away in March of 2007, a month after my mom did in Alturas. Anita and I had not crossed paths when my Mom and I lived in Alturas. Nancy also along with Jane of the Modoc Record Newspaper but the obituary together where Ray and JoAnne (Jojo) failed too. Not even in the Herald and News was there any obituary of the passing of Anita Silva by either one of those two, but they gained everything Anita left behind on account of her death and Shannon's.

Anita wanted the pastor and his wife to have the trunk as a way of at least trying to help pay back the pastor and his wife for what they had done for her. First with the airfare and then paying to help Nancy spend time with Anita in her last days. As Anita was unable to use the ticket and there was a no refund policy with the airlines that they bought the ticket from for Anita. I mentioned that to Ray at the time Anita passed away right in front of Marylyn. Which I think I embarrassed Marylyn when I did but with Ray, you have to be point blank or his does not get it. But he got it and chooses not to fulfill Anita's wishes, which was the first of many to come for Ray not fulfilling Anita’s wishes.

Quite a lot of time has passed since I wrote part ten of “Anita’s Silva’s Last Days”. A lot has happened since then that I have been taken off track and I am just now getting back to completing ““Anita’s Silva’s Last Days”. Come March 30, 2015, it will be two years since Anita Silva passed away.

The latest being at a city council meeting on record by Jojo, “The Good People” when a group of people came against not only me but the present Mayor at the time Tom Cordonier and his wife Marge because they picked me up in Weed because I did not have a ride home from the last time I was arrested under false pretenses. The same group that went out of their way to take it out on friends of mine for telling the truth about them and yet claim they are the “Good People”. Yeah, right. Hypocrites more like claiming to be Christians. I think Anita Silva would beg to differ on that comment by Jojo if she were here among the living.

Now to pick up where I left off last on January 5, 2013, in the last days of Anita Silva. It is very hard right now to recall what happened in the last days due to the fact that so much time has passed since then. Coming up on two years that January 2013 where it began for Anita going downhill as each day passed during that time at the end of her life.

Anita spent time at Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls, OR from January 5th to 9th, 2013. Where they found from the reaction she had recently from treatment an infection that had to be removed and surgery had to be set for that operation. It was in a place where it would make it hard for Anita to sit, less well stand.

Klamath Hospice was scheduled with nurses coming by to help change her bandages from the surgery that was performed. She came home and then spent more time at Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls, OR from January 16th –17th 2013 because she was too weak to come home. It was supposed to be an outpatient surgery but they had to keep her overnight to be safe she would be OK when she got home.

Then with the help of Klamath Hospice and her friend from Clear Lake Oaks, Nancy to help and spend the last time together Anita wanted Nancy to have some of her things. Nancy helped Anita get rid of some of her things Anita felt no one would want and had them thrown in a garbage bin Anita had ordered from the city of Tulelake. Anita filled two of them up with stuff she wanted to throw away and felt no one would want.

Nancy stayed with Anita from January 24th-27th which gave me a break with Nancy being there. I gave them both time to be together for the last time in Anita’s life. Then right after Nancy left there was a plumbing problem that had to be fixed, as there was a back up in the kitchen area all the way to the main restroom.

Then on January 29th, 2014 I went with Anita to her doctors' appointment with the surgeon who performed her surgery. I recall two times when Anita was driving we had two different situations that happened. The first is we were making the turn into the Sky Lakes Cancer Treatment Center to find a place to park and before she made the turn the right side of the car ran over the rock flower bed there. It damaged the running lights on the passenger side and I had to brace them up until we could get back home and have Ray take care of the rest.

Then another time is we ran not one but two red lights due to how icy the roads were that day. The first red light we made it through with no problems but the second one was a close call as we slid behind one car and in front of another to get through the intersection. But we made it and that was the time she got a bad reaction from the treatment at Sky Lakes and not the Sky Lakes Cancer Center because it was on a Saturday or a Sunday and the Sky Lakes Cancer Center is only open Monday-Friday.

I also remember the time back when Anita was in Sky Lakes in early January where I signed her money order for the water and trash bill and then sent the rest of her money orders in a black purse so she could pay the rest of her bills. I didn’t tell her I had done that until after Ray picked up the purse and brought it back with him. She did not see them and we were both upset that over $200.00 in money orders that had not been signed would be lost.

Anita called Ray and had him the next time he went to see her if he could bring back the black purse. Where she found all the money orders right where I had put them in the center pocket of her purse. The one place she does not look when the black purse was taken to Anita the first time. We both were relieved and everything was fine. I was only trying to help so she could send off her bills and that way they would not be late.

During this time Anita began working on changing her will so that what Shannon would have got had she had lived. Anita changed it so that Ray would get it all instead and when she had it done. I was a witness to the will and I signed it as a witness, so I know what was in Anita’s last will and testament. I also know what her last wishes were and what she was hoping Ray would do with her ashes. Put them together with Shannon and Henry's ashes. Even though she did not put it in her will, Anita expressed to Ray what her wishes were and I was aware of Anita’s last wishes. Was it ever done, I have no idea. Only Ray and Jojo know what happened from here with Anita’s ashes.

Just like there were pictures I was promised would be given to me. Pictures that no one but I would care to have. I have not seen them either. Along with everything else they more than likely threw away. Things that meant nothing to them that belonged to Anita. But might to me of my friend who I miss dearly, every day, the person who was with a friend all the way to when she died. And I would do it again for such a good friend that Anita was to me. Because that is what true friend's do for their friends.

Anita marked on her calendar the things that happened on a daily basis, some of it I remember in vivid detail, other things during that time I do not recall now as a lot of time has passed since them. But I feel I have done my best recalling the life of a very good friend that as I said before will be dearly missed and if she could only see me now. She would be so proud of all the things I have been through and where I am at today with all that I do, now.

Even on her deathbed even Anita wanted to take her friend Ruby to Klamath Falls from Alturas. But Anita did not have the strength and I finally had to call Ruby and let her know it was never going to happen as Anita would not be able to take Ruby to the eye doctor in Klamath Falls or do shopping as they both did on the trips they would make from Tulelake to pick up Ruby in Alturas and then drive to Klamath Falls back to Alturas and then home to Tulelake for Anita's friend Ruby. Anita would leave the night before and spend the night at another’s friends house and pick up Ruby in the morning then return to Alturas and then back home all in the same day.

Well, that is the most I can remember of the last days of my good friend Anita Silva’s last days. Miss you girl, wish you were still here but you are in a better place now where there is no pain or sorrows of this life we live on earth.

Ted of Hospice and the Lutheran Church Pastor in Tulelake and Pastor Claude and Marylyn of the church in Malin who also were there in the last days of Anita Silva gave Anita her last rights on several occasions.

That is all I can remember for now the rest is past history.

Written by James Garland of Tulelake News
PO Box 772
Tulelake, CA 96134-0772

Home Phone (530) 667-4744
Cell # (530) 708-7852

Email: tulelakenews@yahoo.com Tulelake News

Please click for more